Review Summary: 'Don't Go' out, stay 'In Your Room', with 'Only You' and the complete Yaz collection. 2 remastered albums, a 3rd disc full of b-sides, remixes and extended cuts, and a bonus DVD ensures this is the most complete and handy boxset of the duo ever made.
‘In Your Room’ collects all the material you could ever want from the incredibly short-lived, yet highly influential synth-pop duo, Yazoo. When analogue synthesiser fetishist Vince Clarke ditched Depeche Mode after fathering a rather successful debut, he joined forces with an unknown blues diva named Alison Moyet to create a form of danceable synth-pop that worked incredibly well, despite the opposing styles each member represented.
Everyone who has even a casual interest in ‘Yaz’ is bound to know the classics: ‘Don’t Go’, ‘Nobody’s Diary’ and of course, ‘Only You’, but those who ventured into full album turf found one stellar record (Upstairs at Eric’s) and a fairly decent, so-so swansong (You And Me Both). For those toying with the idea of investing in a dose of bubbly synth-pop brilliance; ‘In Your Room’ presents the perfect entry point for anyone seriously interested in exploring the duos back catalogue in glorious, remastered form.
It’s also because of the remastering, that ‘In Your Room’ becomes worthwhile to those who already own a muddy CD or ancient vinyl copy of the records, as well as newbie’s ready to jump in at the deep end. For existing fans, hearing tracks like ‘Don’t Go’ in crystal clear clarity is a sheer delight, and the 3rd disc (containing remixes; the legendary ‘Situation’ and rare b-sides: ‘State Farm’ and ‘The Other Side of Love’), providing a handy way of collecting all the rarities in one place (the remixes and extended cuts serve as curios more than anything else).
It may seem unusual to advise a novice to grab this box-set as opposed to a best of, but when the band in question has only 2 albums it makes more sense to acquire them in one neat bundle, and for only a few more bucks than a skimpy, non-remastered best of would cost. If you’ve enjoyed the three classic singles I mentioned at the start of this review, and if you’re willing to take a small gamble and go for ‘In Your Room’, this writer is more than confident in saying that, after you’ve spun the three discs, you’ll wonder why you ever thought you were taking a risk in investing in such a well presented slice of synth-pop perfection.
[Side Note - The 4th disc is a DVD containing interviews with Clarke and Moyet, as well as archive footage and live performances]
