The Concretes, "layourbattleaxedown"

Having gained a lot of exposure over the last year via a Target commercial, the Concretes still only garnered modest interest in their Astralwerks debut.

"Layourbattleaxedown" is a collection of tracks from out of print EPs that never really took off, and that fact should raise a red flag. B-side and rarities compilations typically steer down one of two paths: great, unreleased music that adds to the artists' catalog, or unnecessary fodder that is clearly a label's attempt to capitalize on recent popularity.

Luckily for these Swedes, the former is the case here. Lead singer Victoria Bergsman's serene voice -- a nice reminder of Cat Power or Hope Sandoval (minus the depression) -- is by far the backbone to this group. The standouts here are "Lady December" and "The Warrior," both which are beautifully enhanced by a well-placed string section. Also of note is a nice interpretation of the Stones classic "Miss You" in which they opt to play some of Mick Jagger's vocal melodies on guitar.

"Layourbattleaxedown" is a short and sweet window into the Concretes past -- a past that doesn't really differ from the present. But as the old saying goes, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.