The Cult

Beggars Banquet

Fans eagerly awaiting the Cult’s first release since re-forming now have something to tide them over. Rare Cult is a 15-song collection of rare tracks, most of them exclusively single B-sides, including remixes of hits (“Love Removal Machine,” “She Sells Sanctuary”), an acoustic “Edie (Ciao Baby)” and gems like “Little Face,” a dreamy outtake from the Love sessions. Two songs from Peace (an album that was scratched and later replaced by Electric) appear here—“Zap City” and “Love Trooper.” Other outtakes include “The River,” “Lay Down Your Gun” and “Bleeding Heart Graffiti” from Sonic Temple, and “Spanish Gold” and “Join Hands” from Ceremony. A true delight is “Sea and Sky,” from when the band was calling itself Death Cult. This set chronicles the band’s evolution from ’80s gothic new wave to the soulful, earthy styles that cement the Cult as one of the most respected yet underrated of rock bands.