Erasure Album: “EBX 3”

Where as boxed sets 1&2 still managed to leave a tiny bit of stuff out, this volume gives everything you'd want from every single on it. Plus, this is the ONLY place you'll ever get the complete Crackers International in its entirety on 1 single disc. Some things to note on this volume:

CD1

FLAWLESS. This is what the original US release of Crackers International should have been-but instead, it omitted God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman and gave us EDITS of some of the extended versions. This disc has the original mixes of Stop, the hardest part, and Knocking at Your Door, AND the full length 12" remixes. And of course, the two Christmas songs, God Rest Ye and She Won't Be Home.

CD2

this is an EXACT replica of the original US CD single of Drama. Only difference is, the order of the tracks is slightly different.

CD3

AT LAST, the Mark Saunders fast dance mix of You Surround Me is readily available, along with 3 other mixes. Plus you get more mixes of 91 steps and Supernature than I ever knew existed.

CD4

All 4 versions of Star from the original US CD single, but here, you get 2 extra mixes of Dreamlike State.

CD5

So much more than the original US CD single, which didn't include the original versions of Runaround on the Underground and No GDM. They are both here, as well as the 2 remixes. The Zeuss B. Held mix of No GDM from the US CD single is called the "Unfinished mix" here. Plus you get all four mixes of Blue Savannah. And of course, Supernature, the Orbit mix, which was on the US CD single, is included on disc 4 of this boxed set.

This is a 12" dance remix collection, so be advised. You'll hear the same songs over and over again, but remixed. These are the actual 12" singles the club DJ's used in the late 80's.

Having said all that: This collection of music is honestly just great! The casual Erasure fans will want to pass this by. The description says it has five singles: 'Crackers International', 'Drama!', 'You Surround Me', 'Blue Savannah' & 'Star'. Well, `Crackers International' was NOT a single, but an EP. The original album contained six songs: "Stop!" "Hardest Part" "Stop! [12" Remix]" "Knocking on Your Door" "She Won't Be Home" and "Knocking on Your Door [12" Remix]"

Look at Disc 1, it contains all those songs, but has two versions of "The Hardest Part" (a longer version) and three versions of "Knocking on Your Door".

All of these 12" singles came out at the height of Erasure's popularity. Now don't kill me all you Erasure fans (I'm one too!). I know they're still making albums! I've been blasting "Other People's Songs" more often then not, but all these tracks were HUGE club hits in their day. I remember the dance floor being packed when I spun "Stop!" and "Drama" and the crowed screaming when "Blue Savannah" or "Star" was mixed in.

These tracks show what true remixing is. Each remix really is a song in and of itself, not just "another version" of the track. I think the four versions of "Star" really show that. Each is great! Different from one another, yet you know they are the same song.

There are four box sets: Ebx1 - 3, and Erasure 4. I'd put this one, Ebx3, as my #2 favorite. #1 is Erasure 4. You gotta love a box set that includes "Abba-Esque".

This review goes for all the four box sets. I, for one, cannot see the point in all these pointless remixes. Once you have heard the song, fine...what I think would have been better would be to collect a double album of all erasure's B-sides. That would be more comprehensive and interesting, rather than 100 remixes of 'breath of life' for example.