Chevelle highlights the deep cuts of their discography with 12 Bloody Spies , a new collection of B-sides and rarities. From sparse, acoustic tracks to heavy, fully-developed recordings, frontman Pete Loeffler says the compilation is "definitely diverse."
"Some of these songs we haven't listened to [in] 15 years," Loeffler tells ABC Radio. "Some of them were recorded extremely fast with no one around, just me and an acoustic guitar in my basement, [and] some of them were recorded with...A-lister producers."
In addition to illustrating the sonic range of the Chicago band's career, Loeffler feels 12 Bloody Spies highlights his growth as a songwriter and lyricist. He feels that a song like "Until You're Reformed" -- which was recorded in 2002 during the sessions for the band's sophomore album, Wonder What's Next -- is very different from a song like "A Miracle," a bonus track from 2016's The North Corridor .
"Twenty-some years later of being in a band, I feel like...instead of looking at what's on-hand at that time, I try and pick a topic that's maybe near and dear to my heart, or something that is happening in the world," Loeffler says.
He adds that he was a bit nervous about including certain tracks on the collection.
"You grow as a band, and all of the sudden you're writing in a certain way," he says. "So to put out these songs with their blemishes and all that, and the lo-fi aspect to some of them, was kind of nerve-racking for me."
But ultimately, Loeffler wanted those songs to see the light of day.
"It's a collection of some randoms," he says. "But they still deserve to be heard, we think."
12 Bloody Spies is out now.
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