Ben Kweller - Freak Out, It's...

This self-produced album predates Sha Sha, which is generally seen as Ben Kweller's debut. A number of tracks from this album also appear on Sha Sha, so it's easy to view this album as a demo, but that's not entirely fair.

The audio quality on the album does suggest a demo, but the songs themselves are fully formed. "Walk On Me," which was a highlight on Sha Sha is presented in an alternate and equally compelling form here. Even a song like "I Don't Know Why," which wouldn't find an "official" release for another 6 years is still presented perfectly on Freak Out, It's... Ben Kweller is simply a superb songwriter, so his songs are still compelling even when the audio quality isn't. If you enjoy Ben Kweller's other albums, you'll enjoy this one as well. Even though it is out of print, it is still fairly easy to acquire on ebay, and it isn't as expensive as you'd think. Go get it.

Baleeted? Never. A songwriter like Ben Kweller doesn't come along every day.