You know that one part of the record store with all of the box sets? Does anyone buy those things? Yeah, the ones with 73 previously unreleased Velvet Underground or Bruce Springsteen B-sides, demos, and live cuts that absolutely no one needs. Don't even try to justify a 2-track demo of "I'm On Fire" or paying $74.99 for a warped full-length demo of "Sweet Jane." And yes, 100,000,000 Bon Jovi fans can be wrong. Regardless, Rhino Records is joining the box set party (again), which should appeal to the richest (and show-offy-est) obsessives and/or yuppie bankers who'd like to impress that bitchin' alternative chick from Whole Foods with their knowledge of '70s Lou Reed. Their anthology, however, sounds fairly enticing and is titled The Brit Box: U.K. Indie, Shoegaze and Brit-pop Gems of the Last Millennium.
I can just hear the infomercial now -- and God knows I'm holding out for Moz to host it. If he can't sell a $65, 4CD set in the shape of an English phone box complete with an 80-page book of essays and interviews, then I don't know who can. The set is pieced together in chronological order as follows: Disc 1 (1984-1990), Disc 2 (1991-1993), Disc 3 (1994-1995), and Disc 4 (1996-1998). It features acts such as Cocteau Twins, The Stone Roses, Primal Scream, My Bloody Valentine, Suede, The Divine Comedy, and many more. For 17 easy payments of $3.82, The Brit Box can be yours! But wait! Call within the next 15 minutes and we'll throw in a second set of steak knives at no additional cost! And if you aren't completely satisfied...
The Brit Box: U.K. Indie, Shoegaze and Brit-pop Gems of the Last Millennium tracklist:
Disc 1:
1. The Smiths - "How Soon Is Now?"
2. Cocteau Twins - "Lorelei"
3. Felt - "Primitive Painters"
4. Shop Assistants - "Somewhere in China"
5. The Mighty Lemon Drops - "My Biggest Thrill"
6. The Cure - "Just Like Heaven"
7. Echo & The Bunnymen - "Lips Like Sugar"
8. The Jesus and Mary Chain - "April Skies"
9. Spacemen 3 - "Walkin' With Jesus (Sound of Confusion)"
10. The Primitives - "Crash"
11. The Wonder Stuff - "Unbearable"
12. The Stone Roses - "She Bangs the Drums"
13. The Charlatans UK - "The Only One I Know"
14. Happy Mondays - "Step On"
15. Primal Scream - "Loaded" [single version]
16. Inspiral Carpets - "This Is How It Feels"
17. The Trash Can Sinatras - "Obscurity Knocks"
18. The La's - "There She Goes"
19. The Sundays - "Here's Where the Story Ends"
Disc 2:
1. Ride - "Vapour Trail"
2. Pale Saints - "Sight of You"
3. My Bloody Valentine - "Only Shallow"
4. Lush - "For Love"
5. The Telescopes - "Flying"
6. Chapterhouse - "Pearl"
7. Catherine Wheel - "I Want To Touch You"
8. Bleach - "Trip & Slide"
9. Curve - "Coast Is Clear"
10. Five Thirty - "You"
11. Moose - "This River Will Never Run Dry"
12. The Family Cat - "(Thought I'd Died) And Gone To Heaven"
13. The Dylans - "(Don't Cut Me Down) Mary Quant in Blue"
14. Thousand Yard Stare - "0-0 A.E.T. (No Score After Extra Time)"
15. Ned's Atomic Dustbin - "Grey Cell Green"
16. Birdland - "Shoot You Down"
17. Manic Street Preachers - "Stay Beautiful"
18. Teenage Fanclub - "Star Sign"
Disc 3:
1. Suede - "Metal Mickey"
2. Swervedriver - "Duel" [radio edit]
3. Eugenius - "Breakfast"
4. Superstar - "Barfly"
5. New Order - "Regret"
6. James - "Laid"
7. Nick Heyward - "Kite"
8. The Boo Radleys - "Lazarus"
9. Saint Etienne - "You're in a Bad Way"
10. Stereolab - "Wow & Flutter"
11. Blur - "Tracy Jacks"
12. Oasis - "Live Forever"
13. Pulp - "Common People"
14. These Animal Men - "Speed King"
15. Mega City Four - "Wallflower"
16. Echobelly - "Insomniac"
17. Gene - "Sleep Well Tonight"
18. Menswe@r - "Sleeping In"
19. Supergrass - "Alright"
20. Cast - "Alright"
21. Elastica - "Stutter"
Disc 4:
1. Dodgy - "In a Room"
2. Ash - "Girl From Mars"
3. Sleeper - "Sale of the Century"
4. Marion - "Sleep"
5. Kula Shaker - "Tattva"
6. Ocean Colour Scene - "The Riverboat Song"
7. Babybird - "You're Gorgeous"
8. The Bluetones - "Slight Return"
9. Super Furry Animals - "Something 4 the Weekend"
10. The Divine Comedy - "Something for the Weekend"
11. Cornershop - "Brimful of Asha"
12. Silver Sun - "Service"
13. Spiritualized - "Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space"
14. Mansun - "Wide Open Space"
15. Hurricane #1 - "Step Into My World"
16. The Verve - "Lucky Man"
17. Rialto - "Untouchable"
18. Catatonia - "Mulder and Scully"
19. Placebo - "You Don't Care About Us"
20. Gay Dad - "Oh Jim"
