B-Sides and Rarities, Vol. 1

I confess, I am a die hard fan of this band. However, I also regard myself as fairly objective and when I hear Boxer Rebellion material the bar they have set is extremely high. Therefore, it is extremely gratifying that this complilation of early b sides lives up to expectations. Fans of the classic Brit Pop sound will hear influences of the Verve and Bends era Radiohead all delivered with a sound that is uniquely Boxer Rebellion. There are rockers - the first ever single Code Red and Don't Drag Your Dirty Feet are uptempo Rockers. Perhaps even better are atmospheric tunes such as Outerspace and my personal favorite Before Tomorrow. As a die hard fan, I already had several of these songs on out of print singles (Code Red and the In Pursuit EP) but it is very clear that they went back to the original recordings and remastered them for this release. This is no surprise as these guys come out and mingle with their fans after their shows. They care about their fans and their craft and it is a shame that they are not huge stars because they are a terrific band.

This is a great teaser for their upcoming new album. It's amazing to me that this band isn't bigger in the US, given that their songs are so much better than a lot of the stuff on the radio. But they still get the acclaim from the people who truly matter: the fans.

The Boxer Rebellion has never disappointed and never will. Their lyrics always seem to find a special home. "If the past could fall along it, I could never live upon it. You and I in decline. We’re changing place and changing time, when you were mine when you were mine. But I’ll decline."