A Certain Ratio – acr:box (2019) [FLAC 24bit/44,1kHz]

A Certain Ratio – who celebrate their 40th anniversary this year – release a new box set, acr:box, out on Mute. acr:box launches with a brand new acoustic version of ‘Won’t Stop Loving You’ (AKA The Big E) here titled ‘W.S.L.U.’, a recent collaboration with Parent’s Sarah Brandwood-Spencer (string arrangement) and Jason Brown (additional guitars). acr:box was remastered by Martin Moscrop at Abbey Road studios. Featuring over 20 unreleased tracks, the box set will be available as a 7 x coloured vinyl set, set and digitally and its release will coincide with a series of dates. Following on from 2018’s compilation, acr:set, the box showcases the diversity of the singles, B-sides and alternative versions of tracks that A Certain Ratio have released, but without repeating tracks recently made available. acr:box collates everything that fans had been missing from the recent reissue campaign, and compliments that with a selection found after a deep delve into the archive to find all the hidden gems that had been talked about over the years, but never heard – even a few releases the band had forgotten about! Looking to make the box set as comprehensive as possible, even the original tapes from the session they recorded for a collaboration with Grace Jones were uncovered and reworked. This session includes the cover version of Talking Heads’ ‘Houses In Motion’, using Jez Kerr’s guide vocals (pre to him becoming the band’s singer). Grace Jones never completed her vocal take, after attending one of the recording sessions with the band.

Tracklist:
1 All Night Party 03:16
2 The Thin Boys 03:13
3 Blown Away 03:12
4 Son And Heir 02:44
5 Waterline 04:09
6 Funaezekea 05:19
7 Abracadubra 03:33
8 Sommadub 07:19
9 Guess Who? (12″ Version) 06:53
10 Tumba Rumba 02:34
11 Knife Slits Water (12″ Version) 09:36
12 Kether Hot Knives (Mix In Special) 10:58
13 I Need Someone Tonight 05:33
14 Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing 04:35
15 Life’s a Scream 06:36
16 There’s Only This 04:21
17 Si Fermir O Grido (Touch Cassette Version) 03:20
18 Brazilia 6.10 06:22
19 Sounds Like Something Dirty 06:57
20 The Runner (Greetings Four Version) 05:11
21 Inside (Greetings Four Version) 04:00
22 Bootsy (Greetings Four Version) 04:33
23 Fever 103 (Greetings Four Version) 05:46
24 Loosen Up Your Mind 06:25
25 The Planet 04:48
26 Turn Me on (7″ Edit) 07:34
27 27 Forever (Jon Dasilva’s Testimonial Mix) 04:04
28 Shack up (Electronic Radio Edit) 04:20
29 Houses In Motion (Demo Version 1) 05:34
30 Houses In Motion (Demo Version 2) 05:31
31 And Then Again (Another Version) 03:17
32 Piu Lento (John Peel Session) 05:58
33 Nostromo A Go Go (Demo) 06:52
34 Force (Demo) 03:46
35 Backs to The Wall (Demo) 05:37
36 The Big E (Demo) 04:55
37 Every Pleasure (Demo) 05:39
38 Rivers Edge (Demo) 04:33
39 Stadium (Demo) 04:10
40 Thin Grey Line 04:28
41 Repercussions (African Mix) 01:51
42 BTTW 90 (Demo) 08:16
43 Spirit Dance 05:03
44 Bitter Pill (Never Released) 04:29
45 It’s Trippin’ When I’m Fine (Never Released) 04:58
46 Mello (JD 800 Perc Mix) 05:38
47 Tekno 4 an Answer (120bpm) 05:00
48 Samba 123 (Demo) 04:05
49 Some Day (ACR Rework) 07:04
50 Happy Meal (Working Title) 06:05
51 Flight Won’t Stop (Unfinished Demo) 04:45
52 Fruit Song (Unfinished Demo) 05:21
53 W.S.L.U. 04:27