Everything!

They Say...

Review by Ned Raggett, All Music Guide

The need for something that finally put together the entire Tones on Tail legacy had long been clear before the release of Everything!. Earlier CD efforts were patchy at best -- the original U.K. compilation Night Music brought together many strong points but left off others, notably "Performance," "Slender Fungus," and "The Never Never (Is Forever)." In turn, the early-'90s U.S. compilation titled after the band included those but left off other key tracks. Thanks to the extensive Beggars Banquet reissue program near the end of the 1990s, coinciding with the successful Bauhaus reunion tour, all of the various tracks, rarities, and long-lost efforts were put together in a fine two-CD package. The first reproduced the original Pop album with its proper running order, which was a good move given the fine sequencing and organization of that album. The second pulls together the original singles and alternate takes; while the releases themselves are not organized chronologically on the disc, the track listing for each item is more or less preserved. The group's underground hit "Go!," being originally a B-side for the Pop track "Lions," leads off the second disc on its own. It remains a wonderful, atypical dancefloor smash, with Ash's loopy "ya-ya" chorus, Haskins' nutty percussion patterns, Campling's great fuzz bassline, and more all coming together in weird and fun ways. The various moody instrumentals and sharp, outre pop efforts from the other singles all have strong points aplenty; standouts include the sickly ballad "Burning Skies," an understated shot from Ash to Bauhaus singer Peter Murphy, and the nicely nutty "There's Only One." The final listed track is a bootleg-quality live version of "Heartbreak Hotel" that's pretty sharp in terms of performance, while a secret bonus track features a U.K. radio interview with Ash. The excellent packaging includes a brief historical essay, a full discography and gigography, and complete lyrics.