This came out in 2002 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
Last time I saw cowpunk pioneers Jason & the Scorchers, singer Jason Ringenberg had half his head shaved — something about a lost wager. Their new rarities set Wildfires & Misfires, however, is a sure bet.
This CD collects 19 leftovers, outtakes, B-sides, live cuts, curios and demos from the hard-rocking hayseeds’ two-decade career. Among the highlights: A sizzling demo of Bob Dylan’s Absolutely Sweet Marie; a mournful version of Long Black Veil; a full-throttle live version of Tear It Up with rockabilly legend Link Wary on guitar; a hard-hitting revamp of Tony Joe White’s Polk Salad Annie; an acoustic romp through Jimmie Rodgers’ Last Blue Yodel; and a handful of equally strong originals that fell between the cracks of their half-dozen studio albums. The recording quality and production are expectedly dodgy at times, but even so, you can’t lose.
