C-Sides

On C-Sides, the Portland, OR-based New Bad Things gathered a collection of previously unreleased and other rare tracks. The collection includes songs from the first era of the band in 1991. The first track, "World of My Dreams," is the disc's only new track. It is a subtly cool and slightly sloppy track. The songs that follow are in chronological order, from oldest to most recent. The songs all have a sloppy and festive quality to them, as the group moved from its modest, joke band beginnings to the eclectic pop sounds of its later efforts. Older songs like "Josh Has a Crush on a Femme From Reed" and "Ephedrine II" have the undeniably lo-fi and experimental sound of a band still trying to find its feet. Songs like "Shoplifting You Something for Christmas" have an undeniable Ween sound. The increasingly catchy "Brian's Song" is the most festive of the bunch, a party of a song incorporating horns without sounding like Western ska. The vocals are often recorded too high, adding to the band's lo-fi leanings. Some of the later songs rely on a lot of synthesizer and dance beats, straying away from the energetic and playful indie rock of the band's modest beginnings. The pace returns to a soulful singalong on the acoustic and harmonica-based "J.E.A.L.O.U.S." The disc ends with a rousing, bar brawl of a song, "Down Time." By this time, the New Bad Things had cemented themselves as a solid footnote in the annals of indie rock history.