B-Sides and Rarities

The concept of a b-sides and rarites cd is a complex one that is either met with praise or overwhelming contempt.Supporters of the idea think it's great that a band puts out unreleased material while opposers see it as a way for them to cash in on songs that weren't good enough to be on albums.There are a few different reasons why b-side albums see the light of day.A band towards the end of their career trying to stay comercially viable (Deftones), a fledging former label trying to make the last buck off their marquee band (Nitro's AFI retrospective a few years back)And of course downright greedy people getting cash from dead legends (Nirvana,Biggie Smalls,Johnny Cash; etc)But once and a while and rarites album comes out that is such a good collection of songs that they overshadow a majority of the band's proper album catalog.Here are just a few of my favorites.





Alkaline Trio: Alkaline Trio (2000)


The trio didn't necesarily garner enough mainstream success to warrant a b-side and rarites release, but there was a hefty amount of tunes left over from the Godammnit and Maybe I'll Catch Fire sessions to create an album.This self titled effectively captures the essence of Matt Skiba's songwriting: Remedying heartbreak with alcohol while cleverly dismantling the self esteem of your former lover.Songs like "Bleeder" and "Goodbye Forever" show the trio's desire to venture from the conventional punk songs of their previous releases, and into more drawn out and thoughtful arrangements.Even an excellent cover of The Cure's "Exploding Boy" displayed musical growth, even if they did go overboard and delved into Robert Smith's makeup bag for 2005's Crimson.Alkaline Trio is considered the best Lp by many AK3 fans, including this one who will someday have a skull in the heart logo tattoo, maybe on my ass or something.







Death Cab For Cutie: You Can Play These Songs With Chords (2002)


If someone's first taste of Death Cab came from 2005's heavily produced Plans, chances are they won't be feeling this collection all too much.Those with and open mind on the other hand will most likely embrace this album (Or at least ignore it sounds nothing like The Postal Service).With a decent portion of alternate version from 1999's Something About Airplanes, YCPTSWC is a mixture of absolute masterpieces and songs that just need not be heard.The changes are rather minor and are often stripped down versions of the previous songs (The earlier take of "Song for Kelly Huckaby" was far more superior, violins and all) but it's the late 90s rock of "Amputations" and "New Candles" that give the album it's true strength, along with the vibrant Smiths cover of "This Charming Man".With the continuing formula of blaring guitars blanketing lead singer Ben Gibbard's distorted voice, YCPTSWC has nothing that brings to mind the meticlous groove of their hit "Soul Meets Body".Gibbard's sharp and insightful lyrics have always been the core of Death Cab for Cutie's appeal and the lack of polish allows his words to take center stage.






The Get Up Kids-Eudora (2001)



Named after their hometown in Kansas, Eudora is the first Get Up Kids album I purchased and helped me get through the worst summer of my life.Though not my favorite record of theirs (that would be On a Wire), Eudora holds a special place in my heart for its diversity from their other material.Covers of bands like New Order and The Cure have the Kids toying with an electronica sound, which never really caught on in their future releases.Many of the tracks are alternates of previous songs and some like "Anne Arbor" and "Forgive and Forget" succeed over their predecessors.The song that will always stand out and get me misty in the eyes is "Central Standard Time" because it's plain beautiful (oxymoron?) Besides the misguided cover of David Bowie's "Sufferagette City", Eudora is a prime example of what a rarites cd should consist of.