Everything but the Girl Album: “Like the Deserts Miss the Rain”

Fans of EBTG are no doubt anxiously awaiting the follow-up to "Temperamental" (I know I am) but in the meantime this is a splendid dose of the duo's folk-influenced techno pop. There is something here for every fan - and enough great stuff to launch a generation of new fans - from earlier acoustic tunes that feature a somewhat rougher-sounding Tracey to recent club hits like the Todd Terry "Missing" remix and the sensual samba beats of "Corcovado." In my view, no one on the electronica scene comes close to matching the beauty and emotion of Tracey's voice. I could quite simply listen to her for hours. The bonus CD contains some tracks I'd never heard before, so even if you own every disc EBTG has put out, this is still a must-have collection. Now if we could only convince Ben to get back in the studio!

EBTG fans -- you'll probably buy this regardless of what anyone says like I did. I even ordered it off of Amazon.co.uk! But it's a nice mix of their greatest hits that have already come out, so if you have all their CDs it may not be the best thing for you to buy as you'd essentially have this CD already. That said, the creative choice and editing and placement offer an interesting lookback that this band of 20 years has on itself. A nice mellow later at night CD.

If you have most/all of the EBTG albums,...you are buying this CD for just 2 songs (Tracks 1 & 15) and 3 remixes. But for me, Tracks 1 and 15 are worth it since I miss the original sound of EBTG and these two tracks are representative of those "Early Days". The Before Today remix is also quite good...and so is the Tracey in my room mix. What I do like about this CD (even if I have all of the material already on separate CDs, except the tracks mentioned) is that the selection of songs are really DEFINITIVE. It represents the EBTG I grew up with and loved all these years. Tracks like Mine, Mirrorball, Rollercoaster, Each and Everyone, and No Difference are all my favorites. Great job on the track selection!

Everything But The Girl.....Most widely-known for their 1994 hit ''Missing'' and Thorn's collaborations with Massive Attack on the track ''Protection''-- a song that was well received at the Brit Awards during that time.

Foremost...Tracy Thorn's voice has so much technique to it-- and here it shimmers perfectly along with Ben Watt's admirable studio work. I also can't relate to those reviewers who complain about the remixes--- because one of the best things about this band is the remixes they've received from several worldwide Producers/Dj's such as Chicane, Omni Trio, Todd Terry, Deep Dish, Peter Rauhofer (Club 69), Hex Hector, Mac Quayle, Ralphi Rosario...etc.

I really hope that EBTG comes out with a new album soon, Because I've been waiting impatiently for quite a while now...Nevethless, this is a great compilation but there's allot missing here--- for instance the amazing ''Better Things'', ''Walking Wounded (Omni Trio Remix)'', even though ''Tracey In My Room''...is included I would have liked to have seen the original version of ''Wrong'' here.

But don't let that deter you from getting this, because there are great songs on here like; Protection, Tracey In My Room, Corcovado, Single, Missing.

Overall, a good collection that will surely please many fans or new-listeners.

I have to disagree with the reviewer above. I wouldn't call myself an Obsessed EBTG fan, but Tracey's voice does make the hair on the back of my neck stand on end.

Having said that, I already have all of the EBTG albums and even when the repeat tracks from established CD's (nee Acoustic and Like Deserts miss the rain) I buy them for the new version, the rework, the spin that can be put on the same song with rearrangements.

The classics are the classics not because they are forever played the same way over the decades, but because the songs have enough merit on their own that they can be rearranged and reworked to sound different, better, more interesting.

I also love the fact that they didn't want the record company to just slam out a "greatest Hits" collection, they chose to choose each track and the order etc., a bit like having them play a concert in your living room.

Buy it.....You won't regret it.