Japanese CD of the day / The Other Side Of The Moon: The Cardigans

Released in 1999, The Other Side Of The Moon, is a Japan/Australia b-side/rarities compilation from Swedish band The Cardigans. The moon reference is in relation to their 1996 album First Band On The Moon, which contained Lovefool, something of a breakthrough hit for the band.

Nasty Sun Beam, Iron Man (First Try), Blah Blah Blah, Losers (First Try) and Country Hell were all included as extra tracks or b-sides on Moon singles and all feature on this CD. Most of the other tracks are from the Emmerdale/Life album single releases (Rise and Shine, Sick and Tired, Carnival) including their version of Thin Lizzy’s The Boys Are Back In Town. The compilation ends with the Life instrumental medley – lounge stylee – that is Cocktail Party Bloody Cocktail Party.

It’s a superb compilation, with excellent design and photography. It’s not cheap to pick up, but worth seeking out.

• • UK Order: The Other Side Of The Moon
• • CANADA Order: The Other Side of the Moon
• • USA Order: The Other Side of the Moon
• • GERMANY Order: The Other Side of the Moon

A cheaper alternative is to seek out the 2CD version of Best Of The Cardigans, which contains a bonus disc that covers some of the same ground (not all) with the advantage of including b-sides from the later albums, including the excellent Long Gone Before Daylight and Super Extra Gravity.

• • UK Order: Best Of The Cardigans (+ Bonus Disc)
• • USA Order: Best of The Cardigans (+Bonus Disc)
• • GERMANY Order: Best of The Cardigans (+Bonus Disc)

The Other Side Of The Moon track listing

• “War (First Try)”– 4:09 [from the single “My Favourite Game”]
• “I Figured Out” – 2:05 [from the single “Black Letter Day”]
• “Plain Parade” – 3:31 [from the single “Sick And Tired”]
• “Laika” – 1:20 [from the single “Sick And Tired”]
• “Pooh Song” – 3:15 [from the single “Sick And Tired”]
• “Mr. Crowley” – 2:35 [from the single “Carnival”]
• “Emmerdale” – 2:25 [from the single “Carnival”]
• “The Boys Are Back in Town” – 4:04 [from the single “Hey! Get Out of My Way”]
• “Carnival (Puck Version)” – 2:52 [from the single “Hey! Get Out of My Way”]
• “Nasty Sunny Beam” – 2:54 [from the single “Lovefool”]
• “Iron Man (First Try)” – 3:39 [from the single “Lovefool”]
• “Blah Blah Blah”– 3:00 [from the single “Been It”]
• “Losers (First Try)” – 3:16 [from the single “Been It”]
• “Country Hell”- 2:47 [from the single “Your New Cuckoo”]
• “After All” – 2:37 [from the single “Rise And Shine”]
• “Cocktail Party Bloody Cocktail Party”  – 15:47 [from the single “Rise And Shine” (re-release)]