Portland, OR shoegaze quartet The High Violets rounded up a bunch of rare tracks for their new album B-Sides & Rarities. Albums with a title like that - they are quite a few - usually cater to the fan base who missed out on a single or wants to hear alternate mix. The sequencing of a compilation can be a little awkward, but when it's done right the record can hold its own and being hailed as a great stand-alone release (the most famous is probably The Smiths' Hatful of Hollow).
They were regular contributors to the Static Waves compilations released by Saint Marie Records, with superb tracks like Sublime Haze and Altogether. Their ability to tell a tale within the space of a couple minutes and provide an intricate maze of post-psychedelic dream pop music will baffle the competition and please the listener. The demo version of Chinese Letter sounds actually better than the version that ended up on their Invitation EP and To Where You Are album. B-Sides & Rarities is an essential addition to their discography. And it is an invitation for those who are not familiar with them to dig deeper into their back catalog.
The High Violets:
Kaitlyn ni Donovan: rhythm guitar, vocals
Clint Sargent: guitar
Colin Sheridan: bass
Luke Strahota: drums
B-Sides & Rarities is a self-released album. Buy it (vinyl, CD, digital) from their website.
Tracks:- Up Towards
- Chinese Letter (demo)
- Carry On
- Gravity
- Invitation (Jeff Saltzman mix)
- Sublime Haze
- Ballad
- Altogether
HCTF review of Heroes And Halos.
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