Though Yazoo - a.k.a. Vince Clarke and Alison Moyet - only released two studio albums, the synthpop duo's music remains beloved today.  Indeed, the number of compilations of Yazoo's work has far exceeded the number of LPs in their discography.  On October 26 in the U.K. (and this Friday in the U.S.), the small Yazoo catalogue was revisited and expanded once again with the release of Four Pieces: A Yazoo Compendium, a new 4-LP vinyl box set.  A CD edition will follow this Friday in the U.K., and on November 9 stateside.

Four Pieces brings together both of Yazoo's albums, 1982's Upstairs at Eric's and 1983's You and Me Both, on its first two platters.  The original release of Upstairs was preceded by two U.K. top three hits, "Only You" and "Don't Go."  On the strength of these tracks, the album sailed to No. 2 on the U.K. Albums Chart.  "Situation," the B-side of "Only You" was released in the U.K. and Canada as the duo's debut single, and while it stalled at No. 73 on the U.S. Hot 100, it reached No. 1 on the Club Play survey in a remixed version.  In Canada, it made the top 40 (No. 31).  (However, in North America, Yazoo was shortened to Yaz for legal reasons.)  "Don't Go" then followed "Situation" to the top of the dance chart.  "The Other Side of Love" respectably placed in the U.K. at No. 13.The duo followed Upstairs at Eric's with You and Me Both, an intentionally ironic title considering Clarke and Moyet had split due to creative differences and actually recorded much of the LP separately.  Its "posthumous" release went to No. 1 in the U.K., and the single "Nobody's Diary" again reached the U.K. top three and No. 1 Dance in the United States.

As Yazoo's music has lived on due to numerous remixes, it's only appropriate that the third LP in the box set, Eight Remixes, offers "classic, extended and rare remixes" by Richard X., Todd Terry and Youth, plus the 2017 Orchestral Mix of "Only You," and a new remix of "Winter Kills" by Minute Taker.  The final LP, Two BBC Sessions, presents a pair of early-'80s sessions with John Peel and David Jensen for BBC Radio One.  Its eight songs include "Don't Go," "Winter Kills," and "Situation."  Six of the tracks are previously unreleased.

The box set additionally contains four exclusive art prints, six photographs, and a double-sided poster.  The CD box will have the same 38 tracks as the vinyl collection but is entitled Three Pieces as it has three CDs rather than four LPs.  A Yazoo Compendium is available at the links below, and the set can also be obtained via Moyet's website and Lexer Music.

Yazoo, Four Pieces: A Yazoo Compendium (Mute (U.K.), 2018)

Vinyl: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
Three Pieces CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Link TBD

LP 1: Upstairs At Eric's (originally released as Mute STUMM 7 (U.K.), 1982)

1. Don't Go
2. Too Pieces
3. Bad Connection
4. I Before E Except After C
5. Midnight
6. In My Room
7. Only You
8. Goodbye 70's
9. Tuesday
10. Winter Kills
11. Bring Your Love Down (Didn't I)

LP 2: You and Me Both (originally released as Mute STUMM 12 (U.K.), 1983)

1. Nobody's Diary
2. Softly Over
3. Sweet Thing
4. Mr. Blue
5. Good Times
6. Walk Away From Love
7. Ode To Boy
8. Unmarked
9. Anyone
10. Happy People
11. And On

LP 3: Eight Remixes

1. Nobody's Diary (Extended Version) (12" A-side - Mute 12YAZ 003, 1983)
2. Situation (Richard X Remix) (from Future Retro - Rhino R2 73198 (U.S.), 2006)
3. Don't Go (Remix) (12" A-side - Mute 12YAZ 001, 1982)
4. Only You (Orchestral Mix) (digital single - Mute, 2017)
5. Situation (The Aggressive Attitude Mix) (12" A-side - Mute 12YAZ 4, 1990)
6. Don't Go (Tee's TNT Radio Mix) (promo 12" A-side - Mute/Reprise/Kinetic PRO-A-9911 (U.S.), 1999)
7. State Farm (Madhouse Mix Edit) (single B-side - Mute YAZ 4, 1990)
8. Winter Kills (Minute Taker Mix) *

LP 4: Two BBC Sessions

1. Don't Go (Peel Session, June 1982) *
2. Midnight (Peel Session, June 1982) *
3. In My Room (Peel Session, June 1982) *
4. Winter Kills (Peel Session, June 1982) *
5. Bring Your Love Down (Didn't I) (Jensen Session, September 1982)
6. In My Room (Jensen Session, September 1982)
7. Situation (Jensen Session, September 1982) *
8. Too Pieces (Jensen Session, September 1982) *

Tracks 5-6 from Mute Audio Documents <<1978-1984>> - Mute AUDIOBOX1, 2007