The Police: Message in a Box: The Comple

The definitive 4-disc collection of Police recordings from 1978 to 1983 including Every Breath You Take; Roxanne; Wrapped Around Your Finger; Murder By Numbers; King of Pain; I Burn for You; Invisible Sun; Driven to Tears (live), and more. 78 tracks total. All boxes are numbered: this is number 162210. Booklet and CD's are fine - the paper cover has some streches. "This is it: Everything the Police released," boasts the notes in the 66-page booklet included with this box set. Obsessive fans have already written to rock magazines indignantly pointing out the omission of this or that obscurity. But everyone else will find that these four discs include all the Police they'd ever want to own. The first two discs include all of Outlandos d'Amour, Reggatta de Blanc, and Zenyatta Mondatta in their original order, interspersed with live rarities and singles B-sides. Discs 3 and 4 are more satisfying, including the band's well-crafted studio high points, Ghost in the Machine and Synchronicity, plus more outtakes and live tunes. The set ends with "Don't Stand So Close to Me '86," a dismal remake of the early favorite. By this point, the musician's egos were running rampant and they were barely speaking. If anyone wonders why the group called it quits so abruptly, this tune makes it clear that the split was smart and timely. --Jim DeRogatis Original Release Date: September 28, 1993