Rock
critics usually reserve a special place for
Deftones
above or at least away from the rest of the turn-of-the-century nu-
metal
movement. While they definitely share the influence of a group like
Tool
with peers like
Korn
and
Linkin Park
,
have always seemed more curious, more willing to incorporate traditionally revered sounds like
dream pop
or D.C.
hardcore
into their southern California
alt-metal
. So critics and fans alike will be happy with 2005's
Rarities, Covers and Videos
, which begins with fantastic covers of
Jawbox
(
"Savory"
) and
Cocteau Twins
"Wax and Wane"
from 1982's
Garlands
) before dropping an
electro-acoustic
retelling of their own
"Change (In the House of Flies)."
Even dads will be happy with the set:
turn in a version of
Skynyrd
's
"Simple Man"
that manages bluesy grit and soulful, weirdly androgynous
Chino Moreno
atmospherics at the very same time. (On second thought, maybe dads won't be happy.) Elsewhere they tear into
Helmet
(a raging
"Sinatra"
),
Duran Duran
the Cure
, and
the Smiths
.
"Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want"
(where they sound like
Ride
Duran
"Chauffeur"
date from 1994, while
"If Only Tonight We Could Sleep"
is a live recording from 2004. In perhaps the most unlikely turn,
also cover
pop
sophisticate
Sade
"Ordinary Love"
plateaus into a dream state and just sort of stays there. However, even here the band conjures the razor-edged queasiness that marks the best
material. The previously unreleased
"Black Moon"
features
Cypress Hill
B Real
"Teenager"
is reworked according to
Idiot Pilot
's cover of the
White Pony
original. (It also features that band's
Michael Harris
.)
also includes re-versions of
originals like
"Digital Bath"
"Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away),"
a DVD with every
video, numerous photos, and liner notes for each song written by the band. More than just a holdover until a new album,
is a fan thank-you that also reinforces
' ongoing creative mission. ~ Johnny Loftus