Baths: A Pop Music False B-Side

Baths: A Pop Music False B-Side is a blog that explores the lesser known tracks of popular music. From deep album cuts to one-off singles, this blog is for anyone who loves to discover new music.

Introduction

Baths is the stage name of Will Wiesenfeld, an electronic musician and producer based in Los Angeles, California. His music is characterized by its use of organic sounds and field recordings, often contrasted with synthetic textures and found sounds.

Wiesenfeld’s debut album, Cerulean, was released on Anticon in 2010 to critical acclaim. Wiesenfeld followed this with the EPs Pop Music / False B-Sides in 2011 and Ocean Death in 2013. His second full-length album, Obsidian, was released on May 28, 2013.

The title track from Pop Music / False B-Sides served as the lead single for Baths’ debut album Cerulean. The song was praised for its catchy hook and Wiesenfeld’s production savvy.

“Baths’ sound continues to evolve with each release, but his knack for melody and textural experimentation remains as strong as ever.” – Pitchfork

What is a False B-Side?

In the music industry, a false B-side is a song that was not intended for the A-side of a single, but ended up on the B-side by accident. The term is most often used in reference to pop music.

There are several ways that a false B-side can come about. One common way is when a record label decides to release a limited edition single with multiple tracks, and the tracks are not listed in order of quality or preference. In this case, the song that was meant to be the A-side may end up as the B-side. Another way a false B-side can come about is when an artist records multiple versions of a song, and the version that is ultimately released as the A-side is different from the one that was originally intended for release.

There are several examples of well-known songs that were false B-sides. One example is The Beatles’ “yesterday.” The original version of the song was recorded as an instrumental, but when it was decided to release it as a single, Paul McCartney added lyrics and it became one of The Beatles’ most iconic songs. Another example is Michael Jackson’s “Beat It.” The original version of the song did not include Jackson’s now-famous guitar solo, but when producer Quincy Jones decided to add it, the song became one of Jackson’s signature hits.

Whether or not a song is considered a false B-side can be subjective. For some people, anysong that was not originally intended to be an A-side can be considered a false B-side. For others, only songs that become hits despite being released as B-sides can be considered false B-sides. Regardless of how you define it, there are many well-known and popular songs that started out as false B-sides.

The History of the False B-Side

A “false B-side” is a pop music term for a non-album track released on the B-side of a single. False B-sides are often remixes, outtakes, or demos of songs that did not make the final cut for an artist’s album. They are sometimes also alternate versions of album tracks or new recordings of old songs.

False B-sides can be released for a number of reasons. Sometimes, an artist will want to give their fans something extra; other times, a record label may want to cash in on an artist’s popularity by releasing previously unreleased material. False B-sides may also be used to promote an upcoming album or tour, or to test the waters for a possible album release.

False B-sides are not necessarily bad songs; in fact, many false B-sides are better than the album tracks they were intended to promote. However, because they were not chosen for inclusion on an album, they often have a more raw and rough quality than the finished product.

The history of the false B-side is long and varied, with some false B-sides becoming as iconic as the A-sides they were supposed to support. Here are just a few examples of famous false B-sides:

The Rise of the False B-Side

With the rise of digital music and the decrease in album sales, the B-side has slowly been on the decline. In fact, some music experts have proclaimed that the B-side is no longer relevant. But is this really true?

While it’s true that the B-side is not as common as it once was, there are still plenty of examples of great B-sides out there. In fact, some artists have even gone so far as to release entire albums of B-sides.

One prime example of this is Baths, an electronic musician who released an album called Ocean Death in 2016. The album consisted entirely of B-sides that had been previously released on other albums or EPs.

Despite the claims that the B-side is dead, it’s clear that there are still plenty of artists out there who are willing to put in the extra work to create great music for their fans.

The Fall of the False B-Side

In the pop music industry, a false B-side is a song that was not released as a single, but was included on the album as a bonus track or “hidden” track. These songs were often of inferior quality to the A-Side, and were used to fill out the album’s running time. However, there are some hidden gems that were false B-sides. Here are some of our favorites:

1) “Bath” by The Beatles: This song was originally recorded during the sessions for The Beatles’ 1968 self-titled album (commonly known as The White Album). It was eventually released as a bonus track on the 1995 reissue of the album.

2) “I Am the Walrus” by The Beatles: This song was originally released as a B-side to “Hello Goodbye” in 1967. It was later included on the Magical Mystery Touralbum in 1968.

3) “My Sweet Lord” by George Harrison: This song was originally released as a non-album single in 1970. It was later included on Harrison’s 1971 album All Things Must Pass.

4) “With or Without You” by U2: This song was originally released as a B-side to “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” in 1987. It was later included on U2’s 1988 album, Rattle and Hum.

5) “She’s Lost Control” by Joy Division: This song was originally released as a B-side to “Transmission” in 1979. It was later included on Joy Division’s posthumous 1980 album Closer.

Conclusion

After analyzing the evidence, it is clear that “Baths” is not a pop music false B-side. The song was released as a single, it was included on multiple albums, and it has been praised by critics. However, the song does seem to be overshadowed by other tracks on its respective albums. This may be due to its low-key sound or because it is simply not as catchy as some of the other songs on those albums. Regardless, “Baths” is a well-crafted song that deserves more attention.