Gathering all of the B-sides from the band's U.K. singles as well as some of their demos, presents more of 's sharp, witty . For better or worse, the compilation shows that the band knew exactly what songs to put on -- few of the songs here scale the heights of their debut album. But even if is slighter and less focused than 's A-game material, it's still pretty engaging. and are two of the band's quintessentially energetic, twisty rockers; with its great backing harmonies and start-stop rhythms, shows that the band can even make a go-nowhere love affair sound exciting. meanwhile, speeds along on a spy-theme-influenced bassline and twinkly keyboards. stretches out a bit on a sweet, bouncy vignette that flirts with , and on the lovely an acoustic that shifts gears almost as many times as their plugged-in songs do. These are hardly experimental songs, but it is nice to hear the band try other approaches besides its more usual sound, as appealing as it is. There are a few stumbles on : lives up to its name by starting with a good idea and taking it nowhere, while the minute-long cover of 's is creative but not entirely successful. A trio of demos -- including a tiny, tinny -- rounds out the collection, and though they're nothing new, the versions of capture a little more of the bristling energy of 's live shows than did. While doesn't have the power of that album, it is a lot more focused than some bands' odds'n'sods collections, and works well as a between-albums release for completists. ~ Heather Phares