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Captain Beefheart - Grow Fins: Rarities (1965-1982)

Track listing:
Volume 1
  1. Obeah Man 2:49
  2. Just Got Back From The City 1:55
  3. I'm Glad 3:47
  4. Triple Combination 2:50
  5. Here I Am I Always Am 3:15
  6. Here I Am I Always Am 2:34
  7. Somebody In My Home 2:49
  8. Tupelo 4:09
  9. Evil Is Going On 2:34
  10. Old Folks Boogie 3:07
  11. Call On Me 3:03
  12. Sure Nuff n Yes I Do 2:10
  13. Yellow Brick Road 1:38
  14. Plastic Factory 2:53
Volume 2
  1. Electricity - (Live, 1968) 3:42
  2. Sure Nuff N Yes I Do - (Live, 1968) 2:59
  3. Rollin N Tumblin - (Live, 1968) 11:10
  4. Electricity - (Live, 1968) 3:57
  5. Yer Gonna Need Somebody On Yer Bond - (Live, 1968) 6:28
  6. Kandy Korn - (Live, 1968) 4:23
  7. Korn Ring Finger - (1967 Demo) 7:25
Volume 3
  1. [untitled 1] 4:59
  2. [untitled 2] 8:18
  3. Hair Pie: Bake 1 5:04
  4. Hair Pie: Bake 2 2:44
  5. [untitled 5] 1:04
  6. Hobo Chang Ba 2:02
  7. [untitled 7] 1:57
  8. Hobo Chang Ba (take 2) 3:08
  9. Dachau Blues 2:06
  10. Old Fart At Play 1:23
  11. [untitled 11] 1:01
  12. Pachuco Cadaver 4:08
  13. Sugar n Spikes 2:40
  14. [untitled 14] 1:00
  15. Sweet Sweet Bulbs 2:30
  16. Frownland (take 1) 2:51
  17. Frownland 1:52
  18. [untitled 18] 1:10
  19. Ella Guru 2:33
  20. [untitled 20] 0:08
  21. She's Too Much For My Mirror 1:30
  22. [untitled 22] 0:35
  23. Steal Softly Through Snow 2:22
  24. [untitled 24] 1:51
  25. My Human Gets Me Blues 2:53
  26. [untitled 26] 1:06
  27. When Big Joan Sets Up 4:32
  28. [untitled 28] 0:04
  29. [untitled 29] 0:56
  30. China Pig 4:15
Volume 4
  1. Blimp 5:09
  2. Herb 1:06
  3. Septic Tank 0:51
  4. Overdub [plus Enhanced Cd Live Performance Footage: Cannes Beach, 1968; Amougies, Belgium, 1969; Detroit, Michigan, 1971; Paris, France, 1973] 5:26
Volume 5
  1. My Human Gets Me Blues (1969 live) 3:56
  2. When Big Joan Sets Up (1971 live) 6:13
  3. Woe Is Uh Me Bop (1971 live) 2:46
  4. Bellerin Plain (1971 live) 3:26
  5. Black Snake Moan I (1972 radio phone-in) 1:04
  6. Grow Fins (1972 live) 5:12
  7. Black Snake Moan II (1972 radio) 1:52
  8. Spitball Scalped Uh Baby (1972 live) 9:16
  9. Harp Boogie I (1972 radio) 1:34
  10. One Red Nose That I Mean (1972 live) 1:48
  11. Harp Boogie II (1972 radio) 0:55
  12. Natchez Burning (1972 radio) 0:45
  13. Harp Boogie III (1972 radio phone-in) 0:52
  14. Click Clack (1973 live) 2:53
  15. Orange Clow Hammer (1975 radio) 4:39
  16. Odd Jobs (1975 piano demo) 5:13
  17. Odd Jobs (1975 band demo) 5:12
  18. Vampire Suite (1980 worktapes/live) 3:48
  19. Mellotron Improv (1978 live) 1:25
  20. Evening Bell (1981 piano worktape) 0:56
  21. Evening Bell (1982 guitar worktape) 2:18
  22. Mellotron Improv (1980 live) 2:22
  23. Flavor Bud Living (1980 live) 1:16

Notes

An unprecedented project in the rock field: a five-CD box set of unreleased material by a cult artist that never had anything close to a chart hit. Of course Captain Beefheart is the ultimate cult artist, and one with a following so rabid (if limited) that the compilation has a wider audience than many would anticipate. Despite the impressive chronological span and variety of demos, live performances, backing tracks, and outtakes, be cautioned that this is not a best-of or ad hoc career overview. A good deal of the tracks (some of which have long been available on bootleg) are of slightly substandard or low fidelity, and Beefheart's most significant work is ultimately contained on his numerous official releases. However, this is an important addition to his catalog, and one that many of his fanatics will find essential, though it won't do much to convert the casual fan due to the difficult nature of much of the material. Disc one, with live cuts and demos from 1966-67 that include a few songs recorded on Safe as Milk, is certainly the most interesting and accessible of the quintet. Disc two is more shambling and experimental, with its assortment of 1968 live performances. Disc three is for the hardcore: home-recorded (though in okay fidelity) run-throughs of Trout Mask Replica material from 1969, without vocals. Disc four is for the harder core: 12 more minutes of Trout Mask home sessions, plus enhanced-CD live performance footage from 1968-73. CD five is an interesting, erratic assortment of live, radio, demo, and work tape material from 1969-82, fidelity varying from good to poor. The liner notes are exceptionally detailed, with many first-hand quotes by band members and much historical narrative by frequent Magic Band drummer John French.