The long awaited missing tracks from Black Lab

Black Lab is that classic tragedy of the music industry: 

Band makes brilliant album.

Label doesn't push said album.

Band goes to record second album.

Label gets bought by bigger label.

Bigger label drops band and prohibits the release of already recorded material.

Band breaks up.

I have a special place in my heart with bands who went through all this nonsense, but Black Lab reigns supreme even amongst all the Dishwallas and Semisonics.  Their quashed dream seemed a bit more harrowing than their contemporaries.  That and Your Body Above Me was just flat-out genius - a true masterpiece of the '90s.

The time between Your Body Above Me and See the Sun was excruciating.  The boys moved between websites, switched labels, leaked demos and eventually wound up going indie (with only lead singer Paul Durham surviving the whole mess).  Only the most devoted of fans could keep up with the whole mess.  To this day, despite the frustrations I'm thankful I stuck with them.  Ultimately I was rewarded with the brilliance of See the Sun.

Enter Give us Sugar.  With their latest release, Paul and co. have one-upped the previous expectations, hopes and dreams of the Black Lab faithful by releasing not 1, but 2 CDs worth of re-mastered demos, b-sides and soundtrack songs encapsulating (mainly) the band's time between recording their first and second albums.  All the demos that were leaked in really crappy MP3s 10 years ago now are ready for download in WAV format - full CD quality.  Never thought I'd see the day.

I won't stand here and pretend they've delivered 32 tracks of pure bliss.  This is essentially a b-sides album, and b-sides are hit and miss.  That's why they're b-sides folks.  That being said, Lost Dogs from Pearl Jam was one hell of a b-sides album.  Give Us Sugar falls more along those lines than say Pisces Iscariot.  It's more hit than miss.  At just $15 it's quite a deal for 32 tracks.  Take a listen to Like I Used To for a taste of what's in store.

Check here for a full track listing, lyrics, stories behind the songs or to order Give Us Sugar.

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