B-Sides & Otherwise

Perhaps as a contractual obligation, only a few months after Like Swimming appeared in record stores, a collection of B-sides and soundtrack-only material titled B-Sides and Otherwise was issued by Morphine's original label, Rykodisc. While the trio always used unconventionality to their advantage, their acute pop sensibilities appealed to a wider audience; however, the material here is more challenging and abstract than your average Morphine release. Some songs, such as the eight-minute soundscape "Down Love's Tributaries," test the listener's patience, while others, such as live radio broadcasts of two tracks ("Have a Lucky Day" and "All Wrong"), are thoroughly enjoyable. Other highlights include a beautiful acoustic guitar instrumental from the movie Get Shorty entitled "Bo's Veranda," plus "Shame," "Kerouac," "Pulled Over the Car," "Mail," the charged-up "Mile High," and the humorous "My Brain." An interesting collection of oddities that will appeal to the dedicated fan, B-Sides and Otherwise captures the band at their most experimental. ~ Greg Prato