Aug 1990 - Jan 1991
Featuring a selection of outtakes and B-sides from Geffen's powerhouse alternative roster, DGC Rarities, Vol. 1 is predictably a mixed bag. None of the bands -- including Nirvana, Weezer, Counting Crows, Hole, and Sonic Youth -- contribute their finest tracks, although Nirvana's "Pay to Play," a working version of "Stay Away," is certainly interesting, and Counting Crows' "Einstein of the Beach" is looser and better than anything on August and Everything After. There's a fair amount of diversity on the album -- nearly every band included has an identifiable, unique style -- but the uneven quality of the material keeps the record from being anything other than a curiosity.