''The Complete Collection'' is a six- CD

box set A boxed set or (its US name) box set is a set of items (for example, a compilation of books, musical recordings, films or television programs) traditionally packaged in a box, hence 'boxed', and offered for sale as a single unit. Music Artists ...

by British recording artist

Lisa Stansfield Lisa Jane Stansfield (born 11 April 1966) is an English singer, songwriter, and actress. Her career began in 1980 when she won the singing competition ''Search for a Star''. After appearances in various television shows and releasing her first ...

. It was released by

Arista Records Arista Records ( ) is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the American division of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. The label was previously a division of Bertelsmann Music G ...

in the United Kingdom on 2 June 2003 and includes five of Stansfield's

studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...

s with bonus tracks and a sixth disc with remixes, rarities and one previously unreleased song. ''The Complete Collection'' garnered favorable reviews from music critics. In 2014, more expanded ''

The Collection 1989–2003 ''The Collection 1989–2003'' is a thirteen- CD and five DVD box set by British recording artist Lisa Stansfield. It was released by Edsel Records in the United Kingdom on 10 November 2014 and in Europe on 21 November 2014. It includes five of ...

'' was also released.

Background

After releasing '' Biography: The Greatest Hits'' on 3 February 2003, Stansfield fulfilled her deal with

and left the label. Arista Records remastered all of her studio albums and re-released them separately with bonus tracks on 2 June 2003. At the same time, they issued ''The Complete Collection'' which includes all the remastered studio albums with bonus tracks and an additional disc, ''Live/Rare/Mixed''.

Content

Digitally remastered limited edition white and silver embossed

includes all of Stanfield's studio albums released through 2003. Each album comes in a

digipak Optical disc packaging is the packaging that accompanies CDs, DVDs, and other formats of optical discs. Most packaging is rigid or semi-rigid and designed to protect the media from scratches and other types of exposure damage. Jewel case A ...

with the original artwork, new sleeve notes, new photos and bonus tracks on each disc. In addition to the regular studio albums, this set also includes a special ''Live/Rare/Mixed'' disc with single B-sides, live tracks, remixes and previously unreleased track. Stansfield's very first band, Blue Zone, with husband Ian Devaney and school mate Andy Morris is represented on ''Live/Rare/Mixed'' by "There Was I", "Dirty Talk" and the previously unreleased "The Answer" (recorded in 1986). The very rare B-sides "Sing It" and " Big Thing", and live recordings of "Tenderly" and medley " Live Together/

Young Hearts Run Free "Young Hearts Run Free" is a disco song written by David Crawford and originally recorded by American soul singer Candi Staton in 1976. In 1996, it was covered by American house music singer Kym Mazelle for the triple-platinum selling soundtrack ...

" (both performed in a concert held at

Wembley Wembley () is a large suburbIn British English, "suburb" often refers to the secondary urban centres of a city. Wembley is not a suburb in the American sense, i.e. a single-family residential area outside of the city itself. in the London Borou ...

in 1992) are included as well as three club remixes. Bonus songs on the studio albums include: "

People Hold On "People Hold On" is a song by British band Coldcut and singer-songwriter Lisa Stansfield, released as the first single from the band's debut album, '' What's That Noise?'' (1989). It was written by Matt Black, Jonathan More and Stansfield, an ...

" (Single Mix), "My Apple Heart", "Lay Me Down", "Something's Happenin'", "When You're Gone", "Everything Will Get Better", "

Change Change, Changed or Changing may refer to the below. Other forms are listed at Alteration * Impermanence, a difference in a state of affairs at different points in time * Menopause, also referred to as "the change", the permanent cessation of t ...

" (

Frankie Knuckles Francis Warren Nicholls Jr. (January 18, 1955 – March 31, 2014), known professionally as Frankie Knuckles, was an American DJ, record producer, and remixer. He played an important role in developing and popularizing house music, a genre of mus ...

Remix), "Gonna Try It Anyway", " Dream Away" (Duet with

Babyface Babyface or Baby Face can refer to: Nicknames * Lester Joseph Gillis a.k.a. Baby Face Nelson, an infamous 1930s bank robber * Roosevelt "Baby Face" Willette (1933–1971), an American hard bop and soul-jazz musician * "Baby Face", Jimmy McLarnin ...

), " So Natural" (No Presevatives Mix by

Roger Sanchez Roger Sanchez (born June 1, 1967) is an American house DJ, remixer and producer. He won a Grammy Award for his remix of "Hella Good" by No Doubt in 2003, and is best known for his song " Another Chance", which was an international hit in 2001. ...

), "Breathtaking", "Baby Come Back", "All over Me", "Can't Wait To" and "You Get Me".

Critical reception

''The Complete Collection'' received positive reviews from music critics. According to Johnny Loftus from

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

, it is "definitely the most comprehensive Stansfield retrospective; it borders on overkill." He praised the

Massive Attack Massive Attack are an English trip hop collective formed in 1988 in Bristol, England, by Robert Del Naja, Robert "3D" Del Naja, Daddy G, Grant "Daddy G" Marshall, Tricky (musician), Adrian "Tricky" Thaws and Andrew Vowles, Andrew "Mushroom" ...

version of " Live Together" on ''Live/Rare/Mixed''. Tim Sendra, also from AllMusic focused on ''Live/Rare/Mixed'' and wrote that this disc "is exactly what it says it is: a collection of live tracks, B-sides, and an unreleased track ('The Answer'). The live tracks 'Tenderly' and the medley of ' Live Together/

' are taken from a 1992 show at

. The mixes are by Massive Attack,

Driza Bone DRIZABONE is an international dance music / remixing musical group, led by record producers, musicians and songwriters Vincent Garcia and Billy April. Driza-bone used various female vocalists to provide the vocals. Driza-Bone (sometimes billed as ...

, and The Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and do a nice job of funking up Stansfield's often reserved style. The rest of the disc is made up of B-sides." Sendra called it "a nice collection for Stansfield fanatics". Alex Bettucchi also wrote a positive review and noted that the only flaw is the fact that ''The Complete Collection'' does not include any songs from '' Big Thing'' (1988) or '' Swing'' (1999).

Track listing

Release history

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Complete Collection 2003 greatest hits albums Reissue albums Lisa Stansfield compilation albums Disco compilation albums Pop rock compilation albums