Ben Folds Five - Shelved First Attempt (2026)

American piano rock trio Ben Folds Five is releasing a 30th-anniversary reissue of their 1995 self-titled debut album. Scheduled for release on September 4, 2026, via Capitol Records, the two-disc physical edition Ben Folds Five (30th Anniversary) includes a long-lost initial studio effort recorded in Philadelphia with producer Dave "Stiff" Johnson. Titled Shelved First Attempt, the second disc compiles 11 remastered tracks, featuring early renditions of debut material, the song "Evaporated," and three previously unreleased outtakes. Funded by Caroline Records, the original sessions were shelved by the group due to an over-produced sound that lacked their signature live intensity, until frontperson Ben Folds rediscovered the master tapes in his personal archive.

Tracklist:
1. Ben Folds Five - Underground (Shelved First Attempt)
2. Ben Folds Five - Julianne (Shelved First Attempt)
3. Ben Folds Five - Uncle Walter (Shelved First Attempt)
4. Ben Folds Five - Alice Childress (Shelved First Attempt)
5. Ben Folds Five - Evaporated (Shelved First Attempt)
6. Ben Folds Five - Dick Holster
7. Ben Folds Five - Philosophy (Shelved First Attempt)
8. Ben Folds Five - Boxing (Shelved First Attempt)
9. Ben Folds Five - Emaline (Shelved First Attempt)
10. Ben Folds Five - The Last Polka (Shelved First Attempt)
11. Ben Folds Five - Eddie Walker (Shelved First Attempt)