Ben Folds Five: Naked Baby Pictures

Ben Folds Five is savvy enough to know the perils of between-albums collections of B-sides, live tracks, outtakes and assorted goofs; the self-deprecating title of the new Naked Baby Photos nicely illustrates the embarrassing self-indulgence of the whole thing. But here it is: a collection of early recordings (an old version of "Jackson Cannery," the single of which got the band its first record deal), outtakes ("Emaline," the arrangement of which includes a guitar, of all things), live variations on popular studio tracks ("Underground," "Song For The Dumped"), and several ridiculous one-offs. It's the absurd material—stupid stuff like the profane rap song "For Those Of Ya'll Who Wear Fannie Packs" and the Dio-esque metal parody "The Ultimate Sacrifice"—that makes Naked Baby Photos both unpredictable and frustrating: The songs were obviously fun to record, but they tend to be tougher to endure. Still, whether he's the indie-rock Billy Joel, the indie-rock Joe Jackson, or the indie-rock Squeeze, Folds is a terrific showman, pianist, singer and bandleader, and there's strong material scattered throughout Baby Photos, from the poignant opening track "Eddie Walker" to the sweet cover of Built To Spill's excellent "Twin Falls" that unexpectedly arrives near the album's close.