Kirsty MacColl - From Croydon To Cuba... An Anthology (2005)

3 CD retrospective of Kristy's work between 1979 and 2000. Contains all her singles & unreleased tracks including demos from the family archive. EMI. 2005.

Drawing from fewer albums (but more labels) than one might ever have expected, Kirsty MacColl's twenty-year career spreads out over three discs, consolidating her growing reputation as the finest English songwriter of her generation; confirming her status as one of the finest singers, as well, and leaving the listener aghast at the foul injustice of a life that should have been lived at the peak of achievement, but which has only begun to be granted its fair due in death.

From Croydon to Cuba: An Anthology is the centerpiece of a three-pronged marketing attack -- it was accompanied on to the shelves by a matching DVD and biography. They have their problems; both suffer from a paucity of available material; the book lacks understanding as well. But the box set is a marvel. Tracking MacColl's career from the 1979 single that introduced her to the world, the effervescent teen drama of "They Don't Know," through to one of the last demos she ever recorded, 2000's "Manhattan Moon," From Croydon to Cuba balances the hits and the misses, the rarities and the obscurities, the guest appearances and the glorious covers.

A fourth disc would have been nice -- there's no sign of "Boys" here, or the electrifying "A Boy Like That," and there's a batch of other rarities that it would have been pleasing to behold. But still, 65 beautifully remastered tracks include nine unreleased numbers, a bundle more that are making their CD debut, and a host of others that might take a lifetime to track down in their original format. But where that could have opened the door to a host of dodgy demos and obscure-for-the-sake-of-it outtakes, the quality control never wavers for a moment, and you're left wondering precisely how MacColl's genius passed so many people by.

From Croydon to Cuba: An Anthology is a 3CD retrospective of Kristy's work between 1979 and 2000. It contains all her singles and unreleased tracks including demos from the family's private archive. It includes include rare tracks, several unreleased songs as well as demo recordings. A percentage of proceeds made from the box set will go towards her family and friends' ongoing fight to reopen the inquiry into her tragic death in Mexico.

Disc 1 (01:19:03)
1. They Don't Know (03:02)
2. You Caught Me Out (03:24)
3. Keep Your Hands Off My Baby (02:59)
4. There's A Guy Works Down The Chip Shop Swears He's Elvis (03:08)
5. Hard To Believe (02:19)
6. See That Girl (03:00)
7. Queen Of The High Teas (02:28)
8. I Want Out (02:42)
9. You Still Believe In Me (02:57)
10. Rhythm Of The Real Thing (04:58)
11. Berlin (03:34)
12. Camel Crossing (05:21)
13. Roman Gardens (04:57)
14. Sticked And Stoned (03:46)
15. Terry (03:51)
16. A New England (03:48)
17. Patrick (03:04)
18. He's On The Beach (03:30)
19. Innocence (Single Remix) (04:02)
20. Don't Come The Cowboy With Me, Sonny Jim (03:46)
21. Closer To God (03:54)
22. Fairytale Of New York (04:33)

Disc 2 (01:16:40)
1. Free World (02:37)
2. You Just Haven't Earned It Yet, Baby (02:49)
3. Tread Lightly (03:17)
4. The End Of A Perfect Day (03:21)
5. Mother's Ruin (03:55)
6. Dancing In Limbo (02:51)
7. Days (03:55)
8. Still Life (02:51)
9. Clubland (02:59)
10. Other People's Hearts (02:59)
11. Don't Run Away From Me Now (04:04)
12. Please Help Me, I'm Falling (03:36)
13. Miss Otis Regrets / Just One Of Those Things (02:58)
14. All The Tears That I Cried (02:45)
15. Walking Down Madison (04:39)
16. London Bridge Is Falling Down (04:52)
17. My Affair (05:23)
18. All I Ever Wanted (Re-Recorded Single Version) (03:28)
19. Halloween (03:39)
20. We'll Never Pass This Way Again (04:20)
21. Count On Me (Demo) (02:39)
22. Dear John (Demo) (02:43)

Disc 3 (01:19:14)
1. Angel (03:51)
2. Soho Square (04:23)
3. Bad (02:45)
4. Can't Stop Killing You (04:03)
5. Titanic Days (Single Edit) (03:37)
6. Tomorrow Never Comes (04:46)
7. Caroline (02:55)
8. I Am Afraid (03:15)
9. The Butcher Boy (03:56)
10. As Long As You Hold Me (04:34)
11. Perfect Day (03:49)
12. Sail Away (03:13)
13. Libertango (04:23)
14. Golden Heart (03:22)
15. Mambo De La Luna (Single Edit) (03:31)
16. In These Shoes? (03:38)
17. England 2 Columbia 0 (03:46)
18. Celestine (03:34)
19. Good For Me (04:10)
20. Manhattan Moon (03:34)
21. Sun On The Water (Demo) (04:09)