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, Deftones 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: Deftones 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) and Duran's "Chauffeur" date from 1994, while the Cure's "If Only Tonight We Could Sleep" is a live recording from 2004. In perhaps the most unlikely turn, Deftones 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 Deftones material. The previously unreleased "Black Moon" features Cypress Hill's B Real, and "Teenager" is reworked according to Idiot Pilot's cover of the White Pony original. (It also features that band's Michael Harris.) Rarities, Covers and Videos also includes re-versions of Deftones originals like "Digital Bath" and "Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)," a DVD with every Deftones video, numerous photos, and liner notes for each song written by the band. More than just a holdover until a new album, Rarities, Covers and Videos is a fan thank-you that also reinforces Deftones' ongoing creative mission. ~ Johnny Loftus

Fans of the Deftones' unique take on alternative metal will find plenty to cherish on B-SIDES & RARITIES. In addition to boasting the band's trademark heaviosity and atmospheric tendencies, the collection also contains a host of great covers, including inventive, hard-hitting takes on songs by, surprisingly enough, the Smiths, Duran Duran, and even Sade (her wistful, dreamy "Ordinary Love"). This eclectic set will remind listeners that the Deftones have one of the more wide-ranging and experimental palettes on the heavy music scene.