B Sides & Otherwise (Record Store Day Black Friday RSD 2024) vinyl

Morphine were far from your average rock & roll band. Combining elements of jazz and blues with more traditional guitar arrangements, all played with what has been described as "an idiosyncratic set of instruments", to say their sound was unusual - somehow sexy and morose, introspective and compelling - would be an understatement. B Sides & Otherwise, as the title suggests, allows us a moment or 12 to indulge in the group's lesser known feats of musical genius. From live radio broadcast recordings, through to almost-made-the-album tracks, this is a great insight into just what an incredibly unique band they were, not to mention wholly innovative. Many elements and techniques here would come to be adopted by the mainstream in later years, marking the troupe out as well ahead of their time.