The title of CKY's compilation
B-Sides & Rarities clues people in to what the album contains. But for a band that has followed its own muse from the beginning, the stray tracks here are, if anything, only a little more eccentric than some of their regular work. In fact, much of their regular work is repeated here, albeit in alternate form, including a live-on-the-radio version of "Rio Bravo," as well as a remix of the same song; the "original version" of "Halfway House" (which drummer
Jess Margera accurately calls "the heavy recording" of the song); and acoustic takes of "Don't Hold Your Breath" and "To All of You." The newest rarity seems to be the leadoff track, "Afterworld," used over the end credits on the soundtrack of the 2010 film Jackass 3D. (
Margera's brother Bam is a member of the Jackass crew.) The oldest may be "Shippensburg," recorded in 1997 for a skateboarding video. And the oddest must be "Santa's Coming," a tormented revision of "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" that probably shouldn't be played within earshot of a child. ~ William Ruhlmann