Police: Message in a Box-- any more sets like this? (1 Viewer)

[Anthony Hom]

The main question of this thread has to do with the whole box sets. The Police MIB is just right because of the total amount of recordings they did, that fight nicely into that standard 4 CD book. There are other artists who use that book set, but it varies as to how much goes into a set (all or most). The eagles have a Book set that I think is most of their albums, but broken up in a weird song style order.
Simon and Garfunkel have another book format with 3 CDs that cover all their hits, some LP tracks and rarities, and another by ELO that covers big hits and Jeff Lynne Favorites.

 

[andrew markworthy]

Joy Division's Heart and Soul actually misses out quite a lot. E.g. the BBC recordings, quite a bit of the posthumous album, some remixes. Plus of course the two live albums which came out after the boxed set. However, it's certainly an excellent introduction to the band.

A couple of pretty good compilation boxed sets, which if they don't have absolutely everything, still contains all the mainstream stuff:

Simon and Garfunkel
Steely Dan
Pink Floyd

all have boxed sets incorporating all their albums up to any reunion work. The Simon and Garfunkel one is a revelation.

If you like 70s pop, you might also want to try out Abba's thank You For the Music, which has all their hits, plus rarities, B sides, studio outtakes and the best of their album tracks which didn't make it onto singles.

 

[Jan H]

I own a decent system, MIaBottle, and healthy ears, and the Police 4-CD Box set sounds great, especially for a late-70's-early'80's recording. "Horrendous" is horrendously overstated.

 

[Zen Butler]

I have Zenyatta Mondatta and Ghost in the Machine , I think the box-set is considerably better in quality. The best in a remastering job ? , I'm not qualified to say. It is better than the other two I own though.
There is just not many sets like these. Many jazz artists switched labels so much, it would be hard to compile something with everything. Although there are two Django's that cover a wide span.

 

[Rick Deschaine]

Vince,
Do you like The Jam? Their box set Direction Reaction Creation is pretty comprehensive. I don't know if it has everything they released but I believe it comes pretty close at 5 CDs.
Great stuff if you like them.
NP: Filth & Fire - Mary Gauthier

 

[Ron Etaylor]

Did anyone mention the Credence Clearwater Revival set with all the original albums?

 

[Greg.G]

My only previous Police purchase was a cassette of Sychronicity I bought in '84 and I think MIB sounds great.

Yourmusic.com has it for $24 including shipping.

I listened to half of it at work yesterday with my Grado 80s and found it to be pretty clean.

I think the "every note" assertion holds true if you look at published songs individually and do not include remixes which - let's face it - are hardly necessary when trying to portray a band's legacy. I think the studio only part should also be assumed.

Boxed sets I recommend:
Pere Ubu - Datapanik in the Year Zero(almost complete?)
David Thomas - Monster(complete)
Genesis - Archives I(not complete)
Bob Dylan SACDs(not even close to being complete)

 

[TheLongshot]

One not mentioned yet is "The Remains Of Tom Lehrer", which, as far as I know, is everything he ever did. Definitly a must have for humorists.

Jason

 

[LarryDavenport]

Genesis Archives does not belong in this thread. It is four discs of previously unreleased songs, live performances, demos, and b-sides (ditto Archive 2).