Dry Kids (B-Sides 1997-2005) [CD]

Each of the well-chosen tracks has their attractions (far too many to go into detail here), but some personal favourites include:

Madelaine: Danny's finest hour lyrically, this could also be the best song Embrace have ever produced. The melody is sweeping and tension-filled; it's doom-laden, drenched in tragedy, with Danny sounding like a man suffering emotional meltdown. His vocals are fragile, he doesn't know what to do with himself ("I need to break out of my skin") and if you're not moved to tears by the intensity of "I would change everything just to sing to you while you're alone" then you have no soul, it's as simple as that, it truly is.

Flaming Red Hair: What a follow-on to Madelaine. Awesome, blinding, heavy, funky, rocky and completely unlike anything else Embrace have done, this track simply has to be heard to be believed - absolutely incredible. If you're wearing socks while listening to this one, prepare for them to be knocked off.

How Come: From the Jo Whiley Live Lounge on Radio 1. What a revelation, just listen to it. It's yet another fine example of how courageous Embrace are. At very short notice (a few days, I understand), they came up with this highly innovative version of the Eminem/D12 track when the song they'd originally chosen had been done already. It went down a storm and it's easy to hear why.

Butter wouldn't melt: Absolutely gorgeous, soaring vocal, another beautiful tune.

Free Ride: Just Danny's fabulous voice and Mickey Dale's wonderful piano.

Feels Like Glue: Lovely opening guitars, opens out into an immense, eight and a half minute epic.

I've been running: Simple, but beautiful ballad, Danny's voice is on top form, the impressive instrumentation swirls around, building into another top track.

Milk & Honey: Simply a great tune, one of the best on the album, mellow and uplifting, full of hope and longing for a better future, very strong vocals.

Waterfall: Absolutely fabulous tune, strong, flowing vocal, great guitars.

There's plenty more that could be said, so if you haven't already got this CD, what on earth are you waiting for? Delay no longer, go and buy it and discover your own favourites. Listen to it while reading the superb lyrics and the excellent sleeve notes and join the faithful.

However, as this excellent compilation will testify, certain bands over the years have blown that myth apart by turning the b-side into a quality track or tracks, making it something to savour and treasure, allowing it to gain cult status.

Indeed with Dry Kids, Embrace more than follow that trend, they make it their own and it couldnt be better timed, coming hot on the heels of the excellent and hugely succesful Out Of Nothing, whose singles b-sides, thankfully, are included here.

This therefore brings together a best of the second best of recordings that Embrace have undertaken whilst signed to Hut and Independiente record labels.
But labelling the compilation as ' a best of the second best ' is perhaps shortsighted as most of the tracks presented on Dry Kids are as good as their A-sides, if not better in some cases.
I make particular reference to The Shots Still Ringing, Too Many Times, the heartfelt Maybe I Wish, not forgetting Feels Like Glue, Milk and Honey, which is fantastic and a personal favourite and also The Way I Do.

Purists will also be glad for the inclusion of the cover How Come by Eminem, a song that Embrace performed, and magnificently so, on the Jo Whiley ' Live Lounge ' show for Radio One.

Of course the usual gripe is that not all b-sides are presented and it is a shame that the excellent Madelaine has been omitted.
Also, comparisons will perhaps be drawn to the singles collection release, Fireworks, but Dry Kids more than stands comfortably and solidly in its own right without needing a ' companion ' tag to give it credence.

Indeed it is another great album from Embrace, a release as important as what has preceded it, and certainly worth waiting for. These outstanding b-sides further indicate and higlight the relevance of Embrace and the importance that their contributions bring to music in general. If anything those fans new to Embrace as a result of Out Of Nothing will feel further justified with this compilation for having joined the bandwagon. Those that have been a part of the journey from the beginning will no doubt punch the air in delight or nod in ecstatic approval.

In fact, probably both!

The good always comes out.