Asides Besides

This collection of singles, remixes and B-sides is an excellent mop-up compilation of loose ends for a band who began life as a Duran Duran-type new wave/New Romantic band and who wandered off into musical territory that is solely their own. The 12-inch remixes make the band sound even more upbeat than their initial hits (“Talk Talk,” “Living in Another World”), but the demos of “Talk Talk,” “Mirror Man” and “Candy” showcase a much more economical unit. The semi-rare “My Foolish Friend,” the über-rare “Why Is It So Hard?,” from the film First Born, and the commercial edit of “Eden” are among the curiosities. But the B-sides such as “For What It’s Worth” (not the Buffalo Springfield tune), “Pictures of Bernadette” and “It’s Getting Late in the Evening” are every bit as integral as the group’s album tracks. It’s a shock to see hear something as powerful as “John Cope” left among the extras. But such was Talk Talk, a band that gradually put their conceptual visions ahead of their commercial instincts. They became one of a kind.