THE POLICE : MESSAGE IN A BOX - THE COMPLETE RECORDINGS

 

Disc One (74:54)

  1. Fall Out
  2. Nothing Achieving
  3. Dead End Job
  4. Next to you
  5. so lonely
  6. Roxanne
  7. hole in my life
  8. Peanuts
  9. Can't Stand Losing You
  10. Truth Hits Everybody
  11. Born in the 50's
  12. Be My Girl - Sally
  13. Masoko Tanga
  14. Landlord
  15. Next to You
  16. Landlord
  17. Message in a Bottle
  18. Reggatta de Blanc
  19. It's Alright for You
  20. Bring on the Night
  21. Deathwish

Disc Two (73:04)

  1. Walking on the Moon
  2. On Any Other Day
  3. The Bed's too Big Without You
  4. Contact
  5. Does Everyone Stare
  6. No Time This Time
  7. Visions of the Night
  8. The Bed's too Big Without You
  9. Truth Hits Everybody
  10. Friends
  11. Don't Stand So Close to Me
  12. Driven to Tears
  13. When the World Is Running Down, You Make the Best of What's Still Around
  14. Canary in a Coalmine
  15. Voices Inside My Head
  16. Bombs Away
  17. De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da
  18. Behind My Camel
  19. Man in a Suitcase
  20. Shadows in the Rain
  21. The Other Way of Stopping

Disc Three (64:28)

  1. A Sermon
  2. Driven to Tears
  3. Shambelle
  4. Spirits in the Material World
  5. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
  6. Invisible Sun
  7. Hungry for You (J'aurais toujours faim de toi)
  8. Demolition Man
  9. Too Much Information
  10. Rehumanize Yourself
  11. One World (Not Three)
  12. Omegaman
  13. Secret Journey
  14. Darkness
  15. Flexible Strategies
  16. Low Life
  17. How Stupid Mr. Bates
  18. Kind of Loving

Disc Four (73:04)

  1. Synchronicity I
  2. Walking in Your Footsteps
  3. O My God
  4. Mother
  5. Miss Gradenko
  6. Synchronicity II
  7. Every Breath You Take
  8. King of Pain
  9. Wrapped Around Your Finger
  10. Tea in the Sahara
  11. Murder by Numbers
  12. Man in a Suitcase
  13. Someone to Talk To
  14. Message in a Bottle
  15. I Burn for You
  16. Once Upon a Daydream
  17. Tea in the Sahara
  18. Don't Stand So Close to Me '86

Label : A&M

Release Year : 1993

Review (Wikipedia) : Message in a Box: The Complete Recordings is a four-CD boxed set by The Police, containing all of their studio albums in chronological order, as well as singles, B-sides, and tracks from various compilation albums and the Brimstone & Treacle soundtrack. Disc 1 includes live renditions of "Landlord" and "Next to You" which were recorded at the Bottom Line, New York on 4 April 1979 and originally broadcast on WNEW-FM, New York). Disc 3 has a live version of "Driven to Tears" which was recorded live at Les Arenes, Frejus, France, 28 August 1980 and featured in Urgh! A Music War. Contrary to its title, these are not the complete recordings to 1986. "Truth Hits Everybody '83" appeared on a limited edition gatefold single of "Every Breath You Take". Two new versions of "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" were released in 1980 as a double A-side 7", one with Sting singing Japanese lyrics, the other with Spanish lyrics (AM-25000). Also released was a 12" single for "Don't Stand So Close to Me '86" which featured both an additional remix and live version of the song. Live recordings of "Can't Stand Losing You" and "Wrapped Around Your Finger" had also been released. None of these are included on the boxed set.

Review (AllMusic) : Despite their legendary status, the Police only released five albums during their brief reign from 1978-1983. In addition, the trio had amassed a healthy amount of both studio and live B-sides, plus songs that only appeared on soundtracks. For the 1993 four-CD box set Message in a Box: The Complete Recordings, every single song the Police ever recorded is included. All the tracks were digitally remastered for the project, sounding superior to the original CD versions of the single albums. Also included is a 68-page booklet that includes an interesting (and often humorous) biography, a time line, and notes from all three bandmembers regarding the rarities that appear for the first time on compact disc here. But of course, the real charm of the box set is the music - album tracks ("Hole in My Life," "It's Alright for You," "Driven to Tears"), hits ("Message in a Bottle," "Can't Stand Losing You," "Spirits in the Material World"), and rarities ("Fallout," a live version of "Next to You") are all timeless classics. While the set is highly recommended to newcomers just discovering the wonders of the Police, longtime fans should consider replacing their tinny-sounding single CDs with the definitive Message in a Box. After all, it contains a total of 24 tracks unavailable (for the most part) anywhere else.