Tuxedomoon

With the words "30th Anniversary Box" on the cover, 7707 looks like it might be a comprehensive overview of Tuxedomoon's career. After three decades of mashing surrealism, high art, cabaret music, performance art, and pop music together, the band's output sure could use some sorting, but you won't find that here. 7707 is essentially their satisfying 2007 album Vapour Trails packaged with many extras from the vaults. Disc one is Vapour Trails untouched and in total. Disc two is dubbed "Unearthed" and features demos, outtakes, and live tracks dating back to 1977, a year represented by the depression meets beat poetry track "Devastated." An obvious highlight of the disc is the band's absurd take on "No Business Like Show Business," a creepy version that could make David Lynch's skin crawl. Other rich leftovers include "Somnambulist" with Steven Brown's soprano sax and Peter Principle's watery bassline blending in classic Tuxedomoon style plus the alternative, much sharper mix of "Atlantis" from their underappreciated Ship of Fools EP. "Unearthed"'s accompanying DVD is the real draw, not only because the visual part of Tuxedomoon is so important to understanding the band, but also because it is packed, brimming with live shows, videos, and multimedia whatnot from every era. The third CD is a recording of an early 2007 concert that ignores the band's early material, but it's a fine show, proving the 30-year-old Tuxedomoon can sound just as snide and disenchanted as when the started, and still so embracing of the cerebral. "Too smart for their own good" may still apply for most listeners and 7707 doesn't try and sway them with any kind of highlight reel. This is for the hardcore fan who will find enough mysterious pleasures and obscure delights to treasure the set. ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide