Ben Folds Five: The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner

On Christmas Eve, it was a tradition in my family, (among others) to open a single gift of our choice from one of our family members. On Christmas Eve 1999, I had a joint in my pocket, and looking at the familiar cd sized wrap of my sister's gift provided me with an idea of what I could do before I went to bed that night. I was expecting something predictable like a Face to Face or Nofx cd, as I am an easy person to buy a gift for. When I opened it, I was confused when I saw the Ben Folds Five album "The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner", as I had never heard of them, and it was a unique album title to say the least. When I came inside from my smoke, I turned all the lights off in my room, put on a pair of headphones, and started the album. What followed was one of the most pleasurable and rewarding experiences I've ever had listening to a band or an album for the first time. The seminal mix of indie tones and piano grandeur had me spinning that cd for months, and it is still a favorite now. Years later, after a long breakup, they got together to play the album in it's entirety for a Myspace show. Here is the album, and a link to the reunion concert video.



Myspace Reunion Show