And the EBTG reissues begin
I first heard Everything But The Girl on a CBC TV show which featured new music from Britain with a 'cool jazz' feel (Sade was the other artist featured). EBTG had Ben Watt's Chet Baker voice and a hipster jazz vibe, while Tracey Thorn provided her smoky voice and morose lyrics. After their first album, they moped less (though you could never accuse them of being too sunny). Later albums showed them embracing bossa nova, poppier sounds, and then in a move no one saw coming, drum 'n bass, a style Madonna absorbed too, all thumping 4/4 drums, skittering electronic cymbals and disco sheen. But it worked!
A later album from EBTG "Walking Wounded" is all d&b remix, and the combination of Tracey's somber, cool and detached voice with the clattering background is perfect. (Tracey went on to guest with Massive Attack on one of their best albums, too.)
Ben got very sick for a while, resumed DJ-ing, the couple began a family and focused on that, occassionaly releasing various "Best ofs" and remix collections. Now, the first 4 albums are coming out as 2 disc sets, with more B-sides and live BBC Radio tracks. The first, "Everything But The Girl" includes the British version (called "Eden") and the extra tracks substituted on the later American release. Looking forward to it A LOT!
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