Review Summary: Either I just got kicked in the teeth or time has changed me
B-sides albums usually get bogged down in a ton of filler, which isn't really a problem considering
Seaside EP is, well an EP. 28 minutes of math guitar master singer/songwriter Mike Kinsella's extra tracks is just enough to whet one's appetite for more without overstaying its welcome.
The Seaside EP came out right before Owen's more electric guitar driven
New Leaves, which disappointed a lot of fans, kind of like New Coke. Thankfully
Seaside EP is a mostly acoustic affair, and the Owen Classic counterpart to the New Coke taste of
New Leaves if you will.
"I Woke Up Today" and "Fever" are the main standout tracks, which run short for Owen tracks, but are filled to the brim with Mike Kinsella's signature acoustic guitar noodling. The final track "I'm Not Seventeen" is yet another great Owen closer that has some nice electronic drums which help it stand out. Two of the tracks are covers: one is an Extreme cover and the other is Springsteen, and both do a good job of putting Kinsela's stamp on the original sound. Every track is at least good if not great, making
Seaside EP a worthy listen if you ever feel the need to jam some more Owen.
It is easy to see why these songs are b-sides, as most of them are inferior to most of Owen's studio's cuts.
The Seaside EP is nice and brief, but not very remarkable. It's towards the bottom of Owen's discography, but Owen at his worst is still better than many singer/songwriters at their best.
