Underground [UK #2] - Ben Folds

Fans who love "Underground" will be doubly pleased with this disc, which highlights two songs from the Ben Folds Five LP. The first track is the LP version of "Underground," while track three is a great live version recorded in 1995 at Ziggy's in North Carolina. The live cut really shows off how important having fun is to the band. They are impressively well-rehearsed, and succesfully attack the difficult harmonies just as they do in the studio version. "Jackson Cannery" was the first single ever released by Ben Folds Five and is particularly good in this live recording, also from Ziggy's, 1995. The segue into the song is slightly different from the LP version, as is some of the ad-libbing by the band. Again, the high level of fun and energy present in their live shows really shows through. They seem to revel in the pleasure of changing lyrics to fit the locale or to make note of current events, and the audience certainly appreciates it. ~ Joe Schanderson, All Music Guide