Life Less Lived: The Gothic Box

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Yes, I was one of those kids: big, messy hair; black clothes; makeup on the weekends; surly demeanor with everyone but my friends. But my friends were legion. And what bonded us all? Goth music--dark, arty, dramatic, epic, apocalyptic. It gave us focus and refuge during those formative years. Now, it appears some of those kids have grown up and started working for Rhino. A Life Less Lived: The Gothic Box hones in on the territory started by their expansive Left of the Dial box set and gives it a smear of red lipstick and a down-turned glance. And in usual Rhino fashion, it's lovingly designed (the slipcase is a faux-leather corset!), with an extensive booklet that will answer all of your questions about goth, and this box set in particular. It will be needed. One can already hear the cries of "What about...?," "Why that song?," and "Is that goth?" These questions are addressed and gotten out of the way in quick succession. Rhino has the cachet to pull together artists that wouldn't normally be part of such a box set, so they rightly concentrate on including the biggies (the Cure, Bauhaus, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Sisters of Mercy). Also present less well-known bands, such as Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, the March Violets, and the Virgin Prunes. What about the Jesus and Mary Chain, the Misfits, and Echo & the Bunnymen? Are they goth? Not strictly, but every goth I knew loved them. There's even an "instructional" essay for those new to the scene, and a cover of the Cure's "The Hanging Garden" by new-schoolers A.F.I. to bring in the uninitiated. Go on, break out those velvet vests and pointy boots and put this on--it's still amazingly vibrant stuff. --Robert Arambel

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Album information

Release Date (USA): 2006-09-19
Release Date (UK):
Artist/s: Life Less Lived-the Gothic Box
Label: Rhino / Wea

Track Listing

1 Dead Souls -- Joy Division
2 Charlotte Sometimes -- The Cure
3 She's In Parties -- Bauhaus
4 Temple Of Love -- The Sisters Of Mercy
5 Christian Says -- Tones On Tail
6 Mutiny In Heaven -- The Birthday Party
7 Spellbound -- Siouxie & the Banshees
8 Fatman -- The Southern Death Cult
9 Mirror People -- Love And Rockets
10 Power -- Fields Of The Nephilim
11 Now I'm Feeling Zombified -- Alien Sex Fiend
12 Snake Dance -- The March Violets
13 Walking On Your Hands -- Red Lorry Yellow Lorry
14 Kiss Kiss Bang Bang -- Specimen
15 Wasteland -- The Mission UK
16 The Grip Of Love -- Ghost Dance
17 His Box -- Dali's Car
18 The Weeping Song -- Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
19 Exterminating Angel -- The Creatures
20 God's Zoo -- Death Cult
21 Heartache -- Gene Loves Jezebel
22 I Go Crazy -- Flesh For Lulu
23 Cuts You Up -- Peter Murphy
24 Open Your Eyes -- The Lords Of The New Church
25 Heaven Is Waiting -- The Danse Society
26 All My Colours -- Echo & The Bunnymen
27 Don't Fall -- The Chameleons UK
28 Dreamland -- The Rose Of Avalanche
29 Fall -- The Jesus And Mary Chain
30 Coming Down Fast -- Daniel Ash
31 Muscoviet Mosquito -- Clan Of Xymox
32 Incubus Succubus II -- Xmal Deutshland
33 Starblood -- Cranes
34 Ardera Sempre -- Miranda Sex Garden
35 Blood Bitch -- Cocteau Twins
36 The Arcane -- Dead Can Dance
37 Rain -- The Cult
38 Away -- The Bolshol
39 Watch Without Pain -- Rubicon
40 Pagan Lovesong -- Virgin Prunes
41 Morning Dew -- Einsturzende Neubauten
42 Hamburger Lady -- Throbbing Gristle
43 To Blame -- Kommunity FK
44 Melody Lee -- The Damned
45 Romeo's Distress -- Christian Death
46 Party Time -- 45 Grave
47 Kiss -- London After Midnight
48 Dieche -- Sex Gang Children
49 Assimilate -- Skinny Puppy
50 Halloween -- Misfits
51 Tomorrow's World -- Killing Joke
52 So What -- Ministry
53 The Hanging Garden -- AFI
54 Lullaby [DVD] -- The Cure
55 Bela Lugosi's Dead [DVD] -- Bauhaus
56 Lucretia My Reflection [DVD] -- The Sisters Of Mercy
57 Moonchild [DVD] -- Fields Of The Nephilim
58 Deliverance [DVD] -- The Mission UK
59 Ball Of Confusion [DVD] -- Love And Rockets
60 Head On [DVD] -- The Jesus And Mary Chain
61 The Killing Moon [DVD] -- Echo & The Bunnymen
62 Where The Wild Roses Grow [DVD] -- Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
63 Stigmata [DVD] -- Ministry
64 Spiritwalker (Live) [DVD] -- The Cult
65 Cities In Dust [DVD] -- Siouxie & the Banshees

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‘A Life Less Lived: The Gothic Box’ features 53 tracks of influential rock

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