My aim in life is to definitely not be that pretentious know-it-all in line in front of you at a concert who thinks she's the stuff just because she "knew about this band before they were cool" and listens to B-sides. However, I don't always succeed.
Sometimes it's chill to be the super-fan with way too much time on her hands who scopes out deep cuts on YouTube, as long as you let everyone else in on your secrets, too. It's not that the tracks are buried, but sometimes artists will release extra songs or acoustic covers in countries like Japan where people have to pay more for music. Or sometimes, they just release deluxe versions with specific retailers, so only that store can carry the album with extra tunes. Of course, those tracks are later released on YouTube, and sometimes even iTunes and Spotify, so they're not hard to find if you're willing to put in the time searching, or if you know someone who already has the MP3s.
Check out some of my favorite bonus tracks below, and post any of your favorites that I missed in the comments!
1. "Locked Doors" by Jack's Mannequin, from the album "Everything in Transit"
Locked doors aren't that hard to bust through
Did you stay true to what's been true to you?
This remains some of the best lyrical work to come out of the band Jack's Mannequin, in addition to "Keep Rising" (another B-side, shocker).
2. "The Weather's Wonderful" by Kevin Devine, from the album "Brother's Blood"
"Brother's Blood" was already absolutely incredible, but factor in this upbeat tune that harkens back the "Split the Country, Split the Street"-era Kev, and we're even more in love.
3. "Me" by the 1975, from the album "The 1975"
Oh I was thinking about killing myself
Don't you mind?
Well I love you
Don't you mind
Don't you mind?
The 1975 released about 80 bonus tracks with their debut album, almost all featuring Matt Healy's wonderfully brutal lyrics, but none as jarring as the lines from this song.
4. "To Be Loved" by Train, from the album "California 37"
In my opinion, this song is more touching than almost any other on the whole album, rivaled in Train's complete discography only by "Drops of Jupiter," naturally.
5. "Lottery Ticket" by Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, from the album "Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness"
We are the fortunate ones
Pick me up in the parking lot
I've got a good buzz and a lottery ticket
One of my favorite things to do in the summer is go windows-down driving on the freeway with my best friend blasting this song.
6. "Drift" by Daughter, from the album "If You Leave"
Instrumental or not, don't tell me this song doesn't further perpetuate the idea of Daughter being the most heartbreaking band you've ever heard.
7. "Ribbons" by Ingrid Michaelson, from the album "Human Again"
Just when you think Ingrid can't get any more heartfelt and gripping, you stumble upon her bonus tracks.
8. "Coming Home (Oregon)" by Mat Kearney, from the album "Just Kids"
Mat Kearney is one of my biggest writing inspirations for the homage he often pays to his home state of Oregon, but nowhere does it he make that reference more apparent than in this song.
9. "If My Heart Was a House" by Owl City, from the album "Ocean Eyes"
It must say a lot about a song when it reminds you of an ex-almost and you're still willing to admit that it's one of the cutest songs ever recorded, right?
Whether they're impossibly sad ballads or synthpop hits that make you want to fall in love, sometimes the best tracks off an album are the ones you have to dig a little to find. I'm going to keep trying not to be a pretentious hipster who only recs deep cuts, but until I fully achieve that goal, hit me up if you want MP3s of the best B-sides.
