Speed Graphic (EP)

Speed Graphic
EP by Ben Folds
Released July 22, 2003
Length 20:56
Label Attacked By Plastic
Ben Folds chronology

Ben Folds Live
(2002)
Speed Graphic
(2003)
Sunny 16
(2003)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [1]
Pitchfork Media 5.5/10 [2]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide [3]

Speed Graphic is the first of a three-EP series released by Ben Folds. It included a cover track, "In Between Days" (originally by The Cure, from their 1985 album The Head on the Door). It also included a sparse (only piano and vocal) arrangement of "Give Judy My Notice", which would later appear on Songs for Silverman in a rearranged full-band version. The final three tracks were written a long time before this release. Two of those songs, "Protection" (co-written by Ben's former wife, Anna Goodman) and "Dog" have floated around as bootlegged early demos for years, and the other one, "Wandering", was never available in any format previously, but was written by Ben Folds and his fellow Ben Folds Five bandmate, Darren Jessee.

The ending of the track "Dog" contains an impromptu call that Ben receives from his then wife Frally Hynes on his cell phone while recording the vocal track (it's hard to believe that it would have been intentional). In the amusing banter that follows, Ben is chided for not answering with a "Hello", and called a kumquat.

Track listing

No. TitleLyrics Length
1. "In Between Days"  Robert Smith 2:53
2. "Give Judy My Notice"  Ben Folds 3:59
3. "Protection"  Folds, Anna Goodman 4:36
4. "Dog"  Folds, Evan Olson 4:29
5. "Wandering"  Folds, Darren Jessee 4:59

[In Between Days was used in the Apple iPad introduction video.]

References

  1. Allmusic review
  2. Pitchfork Media review
  3. Brackett, Nathan; Christian Hoard (2004). The Rolling Stone Album Guide. New York City, New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 61. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.