Fear of Pop: Volume 1

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Fear of Pop: Volume 1

Studio album by Fear of Pop
Released	November 17, 1998
Genre	Alternative Rock
Length	41:37
Label	550
Producer	Ben Folds, John Mark Painter, Caleb Southern
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link

Volume 1 is the name of the first album by the experimental band Fear of Pop. The album was a project of Ben Folds, John Mark Painter, Fleming McWilliams, and others. It was released in 1998 on 550 Records (with distribution from Sony Records) (see 1998 in music).

The cover of the album ("Just Your Average Second On This Planet" 1997-1998) created by David Bethell, features the silhouette of a running man being pursued by cowboys on horseback with lassoes. The back of the album case shows the silhouette of a boy in a cowboy outfit sitting on a park bench with what appears to be an erect penis in his hands. The inner cover depicts a woman being violently attacked on a TV seen in a city apartment. At some stores, a limited edition 12" vinyl single for "In Love" was bundled for free with Volume 1. It featured a remix of the song by Thievery Corporation, as well as a couple of cuts off of the album. Although given much critical praise, it understandably left many Ben Folds Five fans scratching their heads.

Although Folds, Southern and Painter were the primary contributors to the records, a large cast of other musicians were included as well. Perhaps most notably, William Shatner provided vocals on "In Love" (as well as the reprise, "Still in Love"). Painter's wife, Fleming McWilliams sang on several tracks. Frally Hynes, Folds' then-girlfriend (and wife from 1999 to 2007) performed frantic lead vocals on "Root to This." Folds himself sang on a number of songs as well.

The track "Rubber Sled" is a humorous reference to Ben Folds Five bass player, Robert Sledge. A clip of Brick by Ben Folds Five is playing in the background at the beginning of this song, though played at twice its normal speed, and a sample of Folds yelling "Robert Sledge on the bass guitar!" can be heard approximately halfway through the song. "I Paid My Money" was at least almost a decade old at the time it was recorded in 1998. The original 1990 demo version featured Folds singing over an african-american choir.

[edit] Track listing

"Fear of Pop" (Folds, Southern) – 3:26
"Kops" (Folds) – 6:07
- starring Jay Goin, Scott Edwards and Ben Goldman as "The Kops."
"Slow Jam '98" (Folds) – 4:50
"Blink" (Folds) – 1:23
"In Love" (Folds) – 4:46
- starring William Shatner as "The Unrequited Lover," featuring David Davidson on violin.
"Interlude" (Folds) – 0:21
"Avery M. Powers Memorial Beltway" (Folds) – 5:58
"I Paid My Money" (Folds) – 3:16
"Rubber Sled" (Folds) – 4:55
- introducing Mike Flynn as "The Customer"
"Root to This" (Folds) – 5:09
- starring Frally as "The Shouting Woman"
"Still in Love" (Folds) – 1:26
- starring William Shatner with some closing thoughts