After listening to this I wonder what other dust-laden gems Sonic Youth have hidden away in cupboards and under beds. This collection of B-sides and rarities dates back to 1994 and is 99% instrumental.

The clamorous 2003 song Fire Engine Dream opens proceedings and is an outtake from the E.P. SONIC NURSE. And before you ask, yes it does indeed sound like fire engines (and rather comical ones at that) - on speed. It’s a glorious track with pounding piano notes and God knows what else thrown into the 10:22-minute mix. Fauxhemians was recorded in 2001 and is taken from THE NOHO FURNITURE SESSIONS, and originally released on the ALL TOMORROW’S PARTIES 1.1 compilation released by ATP records. It’s a highly rhythmic song and is followed by one of the two vocal tracks. Razor Blade which was originally released in 1994 as a B-side from the Bull In The Heather single. It’s short, not so sweet but bloody amazing… Blink is the other vocal track and was released in 1999, taken from the POLAR X soundtrack. It’s a gloomy, nightmarish song with a glacially paced Kim Gordon vocal backed by the most extraordinary, hellish bass-driven instrumental arrangement. This is one of the finest and most avant-garde tracks I have ever heard from the band, and for this reason alone one should acquire this collection. And if this track doesn’t convince you then the next brief electronic wonder will. Campfire is a highly descriptive piece with wondrous sounds that actually depict a campfire crackling and popping. The space oddity Loop Cat was recorded in 2003 and is from the YOU CAN NEVER GO FAST ENIOUGH COMPILATION originally released on Plain Recordings. Kim’s Chords was released in 2003 and was the bonus track on the Japanese release of SONIC NURSE. Beautiful Plateau was another Japanese bonus track from SONIC NURSE, while Three Part Sectional Love Seat and Queen Ann Chair were both from the 2001 NOHO FURNITURE SESSIONS. The album concludes on The Diamond Sea (1995) and is the LP version with alternate ending, and the B-side from The Diamond Sea CD single.

All I can say is ‘Sonic Youth fans queue here’ because this is one record you just gotta own. Nuff said!

4.5/5