Besides

Description

Besides is a compilation album by the American alternative pop band Over the Rhine, independently released on the band’s own label Imaginary Records in 1997. This album originally was made available to “Rhinelanders” (members of the band’s fan club) – marked “For Rhinelanders Only”.

Over the Rhine released this collection of rarities for its fan club in 1997. Its title, Besides, is a clever bit of wordplay (if less than accurate, as only one of the tracks is actually the B-side of a single). The CD shows the band’s penchant for musical experimentation, covering a wide range of styles: slightly retextured mixes of album tracks (a more growling «Within Without», a more mellow «All I Need Is Everything»), a playful Nordic new wave number («Hej»), an engagingly weird, bubbly country song («Last Night»), and a dark Britpop tune («Murder»). Many of the tracks show that the band has the good taste to keep its fun-but-subpar material off the albums – not all bands do. But there are also a handful of songs worthy of major release: a gorgeously haunted acoustic piano version of «Bothered» (the hidden track on Eve), an achingly hopeful new folk song («Lucy»), and a 13-minute live version of «If I’m Drowning». The band has released two other recordings of «Drowning» previously, but this is the first to capture the electrifying jam session that makes this song a perfect curtain call for most of their concerts: one by one the band members leave the stage, subtracting lead vocals first, then bass guitar, then electric guitar, until all that’s left is Brian Kelly’s thunderous drum solo. The audience hardly notices that the melody has disappeared. It’s that kind of creative musical touch that makes this collection entertaining, even at its weaker moments. [Darryl Cater, AMG]

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CD tracklist:

01. The People Here Are Not Shy – 5:11
02. Hej (I Do) – 4:18
03. My Love Is a Fever (Live) – 4:07
04. Within Without (Rough Mix) – 4:32
05. (An American Deejay) – 0:59
06. Last Night – 3:50
07. Murder – 3:24
08. Dead Weight – 3:51
09. Bothered – 4:24
10. All I Need Is Everything (Chamber Music Mix) – 4:53
11. Lucy – 2:46
12. Miles – 2:38
13. (Polish Deejay) – 0:27
14. If I’m Drowning (Live) – 12:51

Note: There was a little book included with som of the Besides CDs, called “Northern Spy Number One. Crawl Low Under Smoke”, filled with reflections by Linford Detweiler himself. Includes the story of his and Karin Bergquist’s engagement and wedding. Talks about their tour with Vigilantes of Love back in the day. Printed in “typewriter font” on a warm-feeling brown paper. The back says “All contents copyright March 1997 Over the Rhine.”

[youtube_sc url=”fdyTCHoIkk4″ title=”Over the Rhine – If Im Drowning (Live at Flevo August 15, 1992. As broadcasted by Dutch TV)” autohide=”1″ rel=”0″]