''B-Sides and Otherwise'' is a rarities

compilation album A compilation album comprises Album#Tracks, tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one or several Performing arts#Performers, performers. If by one artist, then generally the tr ...

by the

alternative rock Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from Popular culture, mainstre ...

band

Morphine Morphine is a strong opiate that is found naturally in opium, a dark brown resin in poppies (''Papaver somniferum''). It is mainly used as a analgesic, pain medication, and is also commonly used recreational drug, recreationally, or to make ...

, released in September 1997 by

Rykodisc Rykodisc is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, operating as a unit of WMG's Independent Label Group and is distributed through Alternative Distribution Alliance. History Claiming to be the first Compact Disc, CD-only independ ...

. It features

B-Sides The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record company ...

and other rare tracks not otherwise available on the band's studio albums.

Background

In 1996, when Morphine's record contract with

was sold off to

DreamWorks DreamWorks may refer to: * DreamWorks Pictures, an American film production company of Amblin ** DreamWorks Television, an American television production company and division of the film studio ** DreamWorks Records, an American record label and f ...

at the band's request, the band still owed Rykodisc two albums. An agreement was then made where Rykodisc obtained the exclusive rights to the two future archival releases ''B-Sides and Otherwise'' and 2000's ''

Bootleg Detroit ''Bootleg Detroit'' is the only authorized release of a live recording of Morphine. It was released on the label Rykodisc in September 2000. Recorded by Alan J. Schmit—a fan—on March 7, 1994, at St. Andrew’s Hall in Detroit, Michigan, it wa ...

''. Band leader

Mark Sandman Mark may refer to: Currency * Bosnia and Herzegovina convertible mark, the currency of Bosnia and Herzegovina * East German mark, the currency of the German Democratic Republic * Estonian mark, the currency of Estonia between 1918 and 1927 * Fin ...

had originally wanted the compilation to be called ''Besides'', but when informed that label mates

Sugar Sugar is the generic name for sweet-tasting, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. Simple sugars, also called monosaccharides, include glucose, fructose, and galactose. Compound sugars, also called disaccharides or double ...

had released a B-sides collection of the same name, Sandman subsequently came up with ''B-Sides and Otherwise''.

Critical reception

In a lukewarm review, ''

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'' wrote that ''B-Sides and Otherwise'' shows the two sides of Morphine: "the creepy, grooving side ... and the boring, pretentious art rock-cum-beat poet masturbations that make up the bulk of this disc." Similarly, ''

Trouser Press ''Trouser Press'' was a rock and roll magazine started in New York in 1974 as a mimeographed fanzine by editor/publisher Ira Robbins, fellow fan of the Who Dave Schulps and Karen Rose under the name "Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press" (a reference to ...

'' felt that there were only a few "truly effective numbers" on the compilation, "aside from the selections buzzing on free-form atmospherics that bring the trio uncomfortably close to skronky jazz."

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

described the album as "more challenging and abstract than your average Morphine release." They felt that some tracks, such as the eight-minute "soundscape" "Down Love's Tributaries," may test the listener's patience, while others are "thoroughly enjoyable." They concluded that it is "an interesting collection of oddities that will appeal to the dedicated fan," capturing the band "at their most experimental."

Track listing

;Notes *Tracks 1-3 recorded live May 25, 1994, at Bullet Sound,

Nederhorst den Berg Nederhorst den Berg () is a village in the province of North Holland, Netherlands. It lies about 8 km northwest of Hilversum in the Vechtstreek area, near the Vecht river. Until 1 January 2002, it was a separate municipality; it is now part ...

, the Netherlands, for ''2 Meter Sessies'' ( NOS/

VARA Vara or VARA may refer to: Geography *Vara (river), in Liguria, Italy * Vara Parish, former municipality in Tartu County, Estonia * Vara, Estonia, village in Peipsiääre Parish, Tartu County, Estonia * Vara Municipality, municipality in western S ...

TV)

Personnel

Adapted from the album liner notes. ;Morphine *

– vocals, 2-string slide bass, organ, guitar, knobs *

Dana Colley Dana Colley (born October 17, 1961) is an American musician, best known as the baritone and tenor saxophonist in the alternative rock band Morphine. Early life Colley was born in Portland, Maine, but he was raised in Hanson, Massachusetts, wh ...

– baritone saxophone, tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, autoharp, dobro feedback * Billy Conway – drums ;Additional musicians * Mike Rivard – bass (4) * Russ Gershon – tenor saxophone on (4, 5) * Tom Halter – trumpet (5) * Larry Dersch – drums (5) *

Jerome Deupree Jerome Deupree (born November 9, 1956) is an American musician, based in Massachusetts. He is best known as the original drummer in the alternative rock band Morphine. Early career Deupree started playing drums at the age of six, with the hel ...

– drums (6) * Sabine Hrechdakian – vocals (7) * Frank Swart – bass (12) * Dominique Zar – drums (12) * Rick Barry – percussion (13) ;Technical *Morphine – producer (1-3) *Mark Sandman – producer (4-7, 9, 10, 12, 13), engineer at

Hi-N-Dry Hi-N-Dry was a Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA-based independent record label and recording studio. Founded by Morphine singer and bassist Mark Sandman, the studio and label became managed by former Morphine bandmates Dana Colley and Billy Conway al ...

(4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13), cover design *

Paul Q. Kolderie Paul Q. Kolderie is an American record producer, engineer, and mixer. He has worked with Pixies, Radiohead, Orangutang, Hole, Dinosaur Jr., Juliana Hatfield, Wax, Warren Zevon, Uncle Tupelo, Throwing Muses, Morphine, the Mighty Mighty Bosstone ...

– producer (6, 9), engineer at Fort Apache (6, 9, 11) and The Outpost (6) *Han Nuyton – engineer at Bullet Sound (1-3) *Phil Davidson – mixing (1-3)

References

Morphine (band) albums B-side compilation albums 1997 compilation albums Rykodisc compilation albums {{1990s-compilation-album-stub