Universal Music / Virgin Records have put together “T’Pau – The Virgin Anthology 4CD Box Set” to coincide with the 30 year Anniversary of the band blasting on to the music scene making their mark overseas as well as at home in the United Kingdom.
“T’Pau – The Virgin Anthology” includes 4 discs housed in an extremely impressive Super Deluxe Edition box set that brings together two discs of rare remixes and edits (singles and associated tracks) across all three Virgin albums along with half a dozen demo recordings from the band’s heyday.
A couple of further CDs include the final two (Virgin) albums ‘Rage’ and ‘The Promise’, remastered & expanded versions with bonus tracks appended.
For the first time, T’PAU essentials & rarities are into the same package.
Since the original lineup of the band split at the end of 1991, there has been many incarnations of greatest hits’ releases. But none have ever included ‘all’ of the band’s single releases, which would have been a real big deal for the fans.
Also, some of the releases don’t even have the ‘single’ version of some of the songs, instead using songs like the album versions of ‘China In Your Hand,’ ‘Sex Talk’ and ‘Only The Lonely.’
Well, Disc 1 of the Anthology has ‘all’ of the band’s singles from ‘Heart and Soul’ to ‘Only a Heartbeat’ in their single formats. This is why this disc is one of my favourite in the Anthology.
Disc 2 is the one that will get the fans talking and as far as completists are concerned, their curiosity will get the better of them. Titled ‘Remixes, Rarities and Demos,’ it is discs like this in any collection that are the talking point and houses the previously hard to get hold of and previously unheard.
‘Rage,’ the bands second Platinum selling album issued in 1988, was to be released in Canada early 1989. Four tracks from this album were remixed for this release, and the tracks were ‘Only The Lonely,’ ‘Arms of Love,’ ‘Running Away’ and ‘Island.’
The only one of these remixes that was available in the UK was ‘Only The Lonely-Guitar Remix’ as this was the version that was released as a single over here.
The other three mixes, to this day, have never been released world-wide.
Fans still search the internet trying to get hold of a copy, the majority unsuccessful. Those three mixes are included on this disc and getting hold of these mixes has been 28 years in the making!
These are great tracks and back in 1988/89 there was talk of releasing the remixed version of ‘Island’ as a single in the UK. Now that would have been a great move as this version of ‘Island’ really rawks.
Ah, and we love the AOR Mix of classic ‘Bridge Of Spies’…
Disc 3 houses a digitally remastered ‘Rage,’ the band’s second Platinum selling album, released in the Autumn of 1988. Also included on this disc as bonus tracks are 6 of the B-Sides from the singles that were issued from this album.
All of the B-Sides are great.
‘Road To Our Dream’ instrumental is beautiful and has a habit of sending shivers down your spine as it’s very thought provoking. Also ‘Time Of Our Lives’ and ‘Call Me’ are delicious tunes that deserved to be included on the regular release.
‘Crying’ is also a B-Side on this disc. It was recorded quite early on in the band’s career for the purpose of it being featured in a film, but at the last minute, the band was told they couldn’t use it. Carol Ann Decker sings this song with such passion and puts her all in it. Was a shame it couldn’t be used.
‘You Never Notice Me’ live at The Hammersmith Odeon is also a B-Side and features on the disc and I know how much of a fan favourite this is.
The 4th and final CD in this Anthology includes a digitally remastered ‘The Promise’ which made the top ten back in June 1991 and went gold. This album was very underrated back in the day.
In typical T’Pau style, this album features an again diverse plethora of tunes. You’ve got a catchy dance number that opens the CD called ‘Soul Destruction.’
Then the oh-so compulsory ballads including ‘Only A Heartbeat’ and ‘A Place In My Heart’, and midtempos ‘Whenever You Need Me,’ ‘Walk on Air,’ ‘Hold On To Love,’ And where would a T’Pau album be without a track with a syncopated sequence on; well you’ve got two: ‘Strange Place’ and ‘One Direction.’
‘Whenever You Need Me’ gave the band a higher chart position than before the second album ‘Rage’.
The three B-Sides included on this disc are ‘All The Love,’ ‘Dirty Town’ and ‘Hold On To Love (Acoustic)’.
‘All The Love’ is another example of a song that has only been on cassette / vinyl so it will be great having this track on CD for the first time, as it’s such a great tune.
Excellent, comprehensive Box-set covering everything from T’Pau, curated with exquisite taste and superb sound quality.
Highly Recommended
Disc 1 : The Virgin Singles [remastered]
01 – Heart And Soul
02 – China In Your Hand
03 – Valentine
04 – Sex Talk (Live)
05 – I Will Be With You
06 – Bridge Of Spies (US Single Edit)
07 – Secret Garden
08 – Road To Our Dream
09 – Only The Lonely (Guitar Remix)
10 – Whenever You Need Me
11 – Walk On Air
12 – Soul Destruction (Single Remix)
13 – Only A Heartbeat
Disc 2 : Remixes, Rarities And Demos [remastered]
01 – Bridge Of Spies (AOR Mix)
02 – Arms Of Love (Canadian Remix)
03 – Running Away (Canadian Remix)
04 – Island (Canadian Remix)
05 – Only The Lonely (Nightmare Mix)
06 – Whenever You Need Me (Extended Mix)
07 – Whenever You Need Me (Requiem Remix)
08 – Soul Destruction (Extended Remix)
09 – Soul Destruction (Heavy Bliss Remix)
10 – Heart And Soul (Demo Version)
11 – I Will Be With You (Demo Version)
12 – Soul Destruction (Demo Version)
13 – Whenever You Need Me (Demo Version)
14 – Only A Heartbeat (Demo Version)
15 – The Promise (Demo Version)
Disc 3 : ‘Rage’ remastered + B-Sides
01 – Arms Of Love
02 – Only The Lonely
03 – Running Away
04 – Between The Lines
05 – Road To Our Dream
06 – Island
07 – Heaven
08 – Taking Time Out
09 – Secret Garden
10 – Time Will Tell
11 – This Girl
BONUS TRACKS:
12 – Time Of Our Lives (B-Side)
13 – Call Me (B-Side)
14 – Road To Our Dream (Instrumental) (B-Side)
15 – Crying (B-Side)
16 – You Never Notice Me (Live Hammersmith) (B-Side)
17 – Downtown (Live At Oxford) (B-Side)
Disc 4 : ‘The Promise’ remastered + B-Sides
01 – Soul Destruction
02 – Whenever You Need Me
03 – Walk On Air
04 – Made Of Money
05 – Hold On To Love
06 – Strange Place
07 – One Direction
08 – Only A Heartbeat
09 – The Promise
10 – A Place In My Heart
11 – Man And Woman
12 – Purity
BONUS TRACKS:
13 – All The Love (B-Side)
14 – Dirty Town (B-Side)
15 – Hold On To Love (Acoustic) (B-Side)