Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds will release B-Sides & Rarities Part II, the follow up to 2005’s B-Sides & Rarities, on 22 October on double vinyl, double CD, deluxe double CD and all digital platforms. Pre-order the album here.
B-Sides & Rarities Part I and Part II will also be released together as a Limited Edition Deluxe 7 Vinyl Box Set including 83 rare tracks and exclusive sleeve notes. Pre-order the box set here.
B-Sides & Rarities Part II was compiled by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, and contains 27 rare and unreleased tracks from 2006-2020, including the first recordings of ‘Skeleton Tree’, ‘Girl In Amber’ and ‘Bright Horses’.
Previously unreleased song ‘Vortex’ is available to stream now here. Taken from B-Sides & Rarities Part II, it was written and recorded in 2006 by Nick Cave, Warren Ellis, Martyn Casey and Jim Sclavunos. As the band were never able to define the song as either Grinderman or Bad Seeds, it remained unreleased.
The original B-Sides & Rarities Part I was released in 2005 – compiled by Mick Harvey it comprises 56 tracks including rarities, outtakes, covers and B-sides from 1988-2005. This is the first time the album is available on vinyl.
“I always liked the original B-Sides & Rarities more than any of our other albums. It’s the only one I’d listen to willingly. It seems more relaxed, even a bit nonsensical in places, but with some beautiful songs throughout. There is something, too, about the smallness of certain songs that is closer to their original spirit.
B-Sides & Rarities Part II continues this strange and beautiful collection of lost songs from The Bad Seeds. I love the final side of the last disc because it reveals the small and fragile beginnings of some of my favourite Bad Seeds songs. ‘Waiting For You’ complete with bizarre ‘canning factory’ rhythm track, a gorgeous ‘Life Per Se’ deemed too sad for Skeleton Tree, and ‘Earthlings’ that some consider the finest track of the Ghosteen sessions.”
Nick Cave