Bag of Trix
2020 box set by Roxette
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Bag of Trix (subtitled Music from the Roxette Vaults)[1] is the third box set compilation by Swedish pop duo Roxette. It was issued physically by Roxette Recordings and Parlophone on 11 December 2020, as a quadruple LP and triple CD set.[2] The record consists of 47 tracks, 28 of which are previously unreleased,[3] and features demos, alternate mixes, bonus tracks, live recordings and Spanish-language versions.[4] Also included are several radio versions of singles, including Brian Malouf's CHR mix of "Joyride", which was the version predominantly played on US radio when the track peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in May 1991.[5]
- Tits & Ass Studios, Halmstad
- Atlantis Studios, Polar Studios, EMI Studios, Skinnarviksringen, and Montezuma Studios, Stockholm
- Studio Vinden, Djursholm
- Abbey Road Studios, London
- El Cortijo Studios, Marbella
| Bag of Trix | ||||
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| Released | 11 December 2020 | |||
| Recorded | 1986–2016 | |||
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| Genre | Pop rock | |||
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| Singles from Bag of Trix | ||||
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The record was dedicated to Marie Fredriksson, and was issued physically two days after the first anniversary of her death. It contains eleven songs either written or co-written by her.[6] Prior to its physical release, the compilation was issued digitally in volumes from 30 October; these volumes were released in two week intervals, and utilised the track listings found on the vinyl editions.[4][7]
Four singles were issued from the album: a version of the Beatles song "Help!" recorded at Abbey Road Studios in 1995, the Baladas en Español outtake "Tú No Me Comprendes", and two outtakes from the band's final studio album Good Karma, "Let Your Heart Dance with Me" and "Piece of Cake".
Release and promotion
Four songs were issued as singles prior to the release of the album. A cover version of the Beatles song "Help!" – originally recorded in 1995 at Abbey Road Studios – was issued as the lead single in May 2020.[8] This recording remained unreleased for several years before finally appearing on the 2006 box set The Rox Box/Roxette 86–06.[9] Per Gessle, a dedicated Beatles fan, said of the cover: "When we were in Abbey Road we could not help but make our own version of 'Help!'. It was a great day, pop history in all corners of the studio and a fantastic feeling to be part of Abbey Road's unimaginable legacy."[10] The duo also recorded versions of three previous singles at Abbey Road: "Listen to Your Heart", "The Look" and "You Don't Understand Me", all of which appear on Bag of Trix.[11]
The Good Karma outtake "Let Your Heart Dance with Me" was released as a single on 2 October.[12][13] A music video was created, using footage compiled from Gessle and Fredriksson's private archives,[14] and a limited edition gold-coloured 7" vinyl was released on 9 October.[15] It contained their cover of "Help!" as the b-side.[16] This was followed on 6 November by "Tú No Me Comprendes", a previously unreleased version of their 1995 single "You Don't Understand Me" originally recorded for their Spanish-language compilation Baladas en Español in 1996.[17] Another Good Karma outtake, "Piece of Cake", was released on 20 November.[18] Music videos were also created for the preceding two singles, both consisting of archive footage.[6][19]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Aftonbladet |   [20] |
A writer for Sweden's largest newspaper Aftonbladet said the album demonstrates how Fredriksson and Gessle were "intensely passionate about the music they made, and had a lot of fun together in the meantime". They praised the demo version of "Hotblooded" as one of the "most joyful" songs Roxette ever recorded, saying the track sounds "spontaneous and playful, even if their musical perfection is still present." They also praised Fredriksson's vocals, saying it "does not matter how many times you have heard it before, you can still and consistently be struck by Marie Fredriksson's enormous voice. The sharpness in it is striking, especially in the live recording of the ballad 'Cry' from Norrköping in the winter of 1988. It is one of the album's main gems, because it so nicely captures the audience's great reaction." They summarised by describing the compilation as "not being about the band's best or most beautiful recordings. The collection has a different, more nostalgic value. Above all, it is an opportunity for fans to get close to Roxette for perhaps the last time."[20]
Formats and track listings
All songs written by Per Gessle, except where noted.
Vinyl and digital track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Help!" (Abbey Road Session, 15 November 1995) | Clarence Öfwerman | 2:54 | |
| 2. | "Listen to Your Heart" (Abbey Road Session, 15 November 1995) |
| Öfwerman | 3:33 |
| 3. | "Let Your Heart Dance with Me" (Good Karma Outtake) |
| 3:07 | |
| 4. | "Waiting for the Rain" (Studio Vinden Demo, 1997) | Marie Fredriksson |
| 3:33 |
| 5. | "Joyride" (Brian Malouf US Single Mix) | Öfwerman | 3:58 | |
| 6. | "Like Lovers Do" (Montezuma Demo, 25–26 July 1986) |
| 2:02 | |
| 7. | "Pocketful of Rain" (Skinnarviksringen Demo, February 1993) |
|
| 4:11 |
| 8. | "Wish I Could Fly" (Live at EMP Sky Church, Seattle, 7 October 2000) |
| 4:38 | |
| 9. | "Happy Together" (T&A Demo, 1–2 July 1998) | Gessle | 3:55 | |
| 10. | "Beautiful Boy" (Studio Vinden Demo, March 2000) |
|
| 3:29 |
| 11. | "You Don't Understand Me" (T&A Demo, 30 July 1995) |
| Gessle | 4:16 |
| 12. | "Hotblooded" (T&A Demo, 13 December 1990) |
|
| 3:24 |
| Total length: | 43:05 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Look" (Abbey Road Session, 15 November 1995) | Öfwerman | 3:46 | |
| 2. | "Tú No Me Comprendes" (Spanish Version of "You Don't Understand Me") |
| Öfwerman | 4:25 |
| 3. | "Soul Deep" (Tom Lord-Alge Mix) | Öfwerman | 3:38 | |
| 4. | "Always the Last to Know" (Studio Vinden Demo, 1998) |
|
| 4:42 |
| 5. | "Sleeping in My Car" (The Stockholm Demo Version, 1993) | Gessle | 3:13 | |
| 6. | "Watercolors in the Rain" (T&A Demo, 24 January 1990) |
|
| 4:02 |
| 7. | "From One Heart to Another" (Montezuma Demo, 25–26 July 1986) |
| 3:06 | |
| 8. | "I Remember You" (T&A Demo, 15 March 1990) | Gessle | 3:33 | |
| 9. | "It Hurts" (T&A Demo, 3 August 1995) | Gessle | 2:56 | |
| 10. | "Perfect Day" (T&A Demo, 23 August 1990) |
| Gessle | 3:45 |
| 11. | "New World" (Studio Vinden Demo, 1996) | Fredriksson | Bolyos | 3:37 |
| 12. | "Lo Siento" (Spanish Version of "Salvation") |
|
| 4:44 |
| Total length: | 45:27 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Piece of Cake" (Good Karma Outtake) |
|
| 3:16 |
| 2. | "You Don't Understand Me" (Abbey Road Session, 15 November 1995) |
| Öfwerman | 3:42 |
| 3. | "Dangerous" (Swedish Single Version) | Öfwerman | 3:46 | |
| 4. | "Every Day" (Studio Vinden Demo, March 2000) |
|
| 3:22 |
| 5. | "The Big L." (T&A Demo, 29 March 1990) | Gessle | 3:52 | |
| 6. | "It Will Take a Long Long Time" (Modern Rock Version) |
| 3:59 | |
| 7. | "Little Girl" (Studio Vinden Demo, March 2000) | Fredriksson |
| 4:24 |
| 8. | "Cry" (Live in Norrköping, 16 December 1988) |
|
| 5:42 |
| 9. | "Goodbye to You" (Montezuma Demo, 25–26 July 1986) |
| 2:30 | |
| 10. | "Go to Sleep" (Skinnarviksringen Demo, February 1993) |
|
| 5:04 |
| 11. | "Quisiera Volar" (Spanish Version of "Wish I Could Fly") |
|
| 4:41 |
| Total length: | 44:18 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Centre of the Heart (Is a Suburb to the Brain)" (Have a Nice Day Version) |
| 3:39 | |
| 2. | "Pearls and Passion" (Montezuma Demo, 25–26 July 1986) |
| 2:41 | |
| 3. | "Things Will Never Be the Same" (T&A Demo, 13 December 1990) |
| 3:11 | |
| 4. | "Entering Your Heart" (Long Version) |
| 4:34 | |
| 5. | "Cooper (Closer to God)" |
| 4:17 | |
| 6. | "Joy of a Toy" (Montezuma Demo, 25–26 July 1986) |
|
| 2:25 |
| 7. | "It Takes You No Time to Get Here" (Long Version) |
| 3:53 | |
| 8. | "Before You Go to Sleep" (T&A Demo, 23 October 1992) | Gessle | 2:56 | |
| 9. | "I Was So Lucky" (The Golden Blow) |
| 4:21 | |
| 10. | "Jag älskar (Surrender)" (Montezuma Demo, 25–26 July 1986) |
| 3:20 | |
| 11. | "Som i en dröm (So Far Away)" (Montezuma Demo, 25–26 July 1986) |
| 4:16 | |
| 12. | "Alguien" (Spanish Version of "Anyone") |
|
| 4:31 |
| Total length: | 44:04 | |||
CD track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Help!" (Abbey Road Session, 15 November 1995) |
| Öfwerman | 2:54 |
| 2. | "Listen to Your Heart" (Abbey Road Session, 15 November 1995) |
| Öfwerman | 3:33 |
| 3. | "Let Your Heart Dance with Me" (Good Karma Outtake) |
| 3:07 | |
| 4. | "Waiting for the Rain" (Studio Vinden Demo, 1997) | Fredriksson |
| 3:33 |
| 5. | "Joyride" (Brian Malouf US Single Mix) | Öfwerman | 3:58 | |
| 6. | "Like Lovers Do" (Montezuma Demo, 25–26 July 1986) |
| 2:02 | |
| 7. | "Pocketful of Rain" (Skinnarviksringen Demo, February 1993) |
|
| 4:11 |
| 8. | "Tú No Me Comprendes" (Spanish Version of "You Don't Understand Me") |
| Öfwerman | 4:25 |
| 9. | "Happy Together" (T&A Demo, 1–2 July 1998) | Gessle | 3:55 | |
| 10. | "Beautiful Boy" (Studio Vinden Demo, March 2000) |
|
| 3:29 |
| 11. | "Cooper (Closer to God)" |
| 4:17 | |
| 12. | "Hotblooded" (T&A Demo, 13 December 1990) |
|
| 3:24 |
| 13. | "The Centre of the Heart (Is a Suburb to the Brain)" (Have a Nice Day Version) |
| 3:39 | |
| 14. | "Pearls and Passion" (Montezuma Demo, 25–26 July 1986) |
| 2:41 | |
| 15. | "Things Will Never Be the Same" (T&A Demo, 13 December 1990) |
| 3:11 | |
| 16. | "Alguien" (Spanish Version of "Anyone") |
|
| 4:31 |
| Total length: | 57:23 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Look" (Abbey Road Session, 15 November 1995) | Öfwerman | 3:46 | |
| 2. | "You Don't Understand Me" (Abbey Road Session, 15 November 1995) |
| Öfwerman | 3:42 |
| 3. | "Soul Deep" (Tom Lord-Alge Mix) | Öfwerman | 3:38 | |
| 4. | "Wish I Could Fly" (Live at EMP Sky Church, Seattle, 7 October 2000) |
| 4:38 | |
| 5. | "New World" (Studio Vinden Demo, 1996) | Fredriksson | Bolyos | 3:37 |
| 6. | "Sleeping in My Car" (The Stockholm Demo Version, 1993) | Gessle | 3:13 | |
| 7. | "Watercolors in the Rain" (T&A Demo, 24 January 1990) |
|
| 4:02 |
| 8. | "From One Heart to Another" (Montezuma Demo, 25–26 July 1986) |
| 3:06 | |
| 9. | "I Remember You" (T&A Demo, 15 March 1990) | Gessle | 3:33 | |
| 10. | "It Hurts" (T&A Demo, 3 August 1995) | Gessle | 2:56 | |
| 11. | "Perfect Day" (T&A Demo, 23 August 1990) |
| Gessle | 3:45 |
| 12. | "Joy of a Toy" (Montezuma Demo, 25–26 July 1986) |
|
| 2:25 |
| 13. | "Always the Last to Know" (Studio Vinden Demo, 1998) |
|
| 4:42 |
| 14. | "It Takes You No Time to Get Here" (Long Version) |
| 3:53 | |
| 15. | "Before You Go to Sleep" (T&A Demo, 23 October 1992) | Gessle | 2:56 | |
| 16. | "Lo Siento" (Spanish Version of "Salvation") |
|
| 4:44 |
| Total length: | 59:07 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Piece of Cake" (Good Karma Outtake) |
|
| 3:16 |
| 2. | "You Don't Understand Me" (T&A Demo, 30 July 1995) |
| Gessle | 4:16 |
| 3. | "Dangerous" (Swedish Single Version) | Öfwerman | 3:46 | |
| 4. | "Every Day" (Studio Vinden Demo, March 2000) |
|
| 3:22 |
| 5. | "The Big L." (T&A Demo, 29 March 1990) | Gessle | 3:52 | |
| 6. | "It Will Take a Long Long Time" (Modern Rock Version) |
| 3:59 | |
| 7. | "Little Girl" (Studio Vinden Demo, March 2000) | Fredriksson |
| 4:24 |
| 8. | "Cry" (Live in Norrköping, 16 December 1988) |
|
| 5:42 |
| 9. | "Goodbye to You" (Montezuma Demo, 25–26 July 1986) |
| 2:30 | |
| 10. | "Go to Sleep" (Skinnarviksringen Demo, February 1993) |
|
| 5:04 |
| 11. | "I Was So Lucky" (The Golden Blow) |
| 4:21 | |
| 12. | "Entering Your Heart" (Long Version) |
| 4:34 | |
| 13. | "Jag älskar (Surrender)" (Montezuma Demo, 25–26 July 1986) |
| 3:20 | |
| 14. | "Som i en dröm (So Far Away)" (Montezuma Demo, 25–26 July 1986) |
| 4:16 | |
| 15. | "Quisiera Volar" (Spanish Version of "Wish I Could Fly") |
|
| 4:41 |
| Total length: | 61:52 | |||
Notes
- ^[a] signifies a co-producer
Personnel
Credits adapted from Tidal.[21][22][23][24]
- Marie Fredriksson – lead and background vocals, keyboards, engineering, production and mixing
- Per Gessle – lead and background vocals, guitars, engineering, production and mixing
- Per "Pelle" Alsing – drums
- Mikael Bolyos – instrumentation, engineering, production and mixing (Studio Vinden and Skinnarviksringen sessions); additional engineering ("Cooper")
- Jonas Isacsson – acoustic, bass and electric guitars
- Christer Jansson – percussion ("It Will Take a Long Long Time"); cymbals and drums ("Quisiera Volar"); drums, tambourine and percussion ("Cooper" and "Alguien")
- Christoffer Lundquist – engineering, production and mixing ("Let Your Heart Dance with Me" and "Piece of Cake"); bass guitar and background vocals ("Lo Siento", "Quisiera Volar" and "Alguien"); zither ("It Will Take a Long Long Time", "Cooper" and "Alguien"); guitar, drums and tambourine ("Alguien")
- Clarence Öfwerman – piano, keyboards, synthesizer, bells, tambourine, programming, arrangements, engineering, production and mixing
- Mats "MP" Persson – instrumentation and engineering (T&A sessions); twelve-string guitar and additional engineering ("It Will Take a Long Long Time"); string arrangement ("Quisiera Volar"); programming, mixing and additional engineering ("Cooper")
Technical personnel
- Addeboy vs. Cliff – co-production ("Let Your Heart Dance with Me" and "Piece of Cake")
- Michael Ilbert – engineering and production ("Lo Siento", "It Will Take a Long Long Time", "Quisiera Volar", "The Centre of the Heart", "Cooper" and "Alguien"); programming ("It Will Take a Long Long Time" and "Quisiera Volar"); string arrangement ("Quisiera Volar")
- Alar Suurna – engineering and mixing
Additional personnel
- Micke "Nord" Andersson – twelve string acoustic and Rickenbacker guitars ("Quisiera Volar")
- Magnus Blom – alto saxophone ("Alguien")
- Tommy Cassemar – bass guitar ("Soul Deep")
- Hasse Dyvik – trumpet and flugelhorn ("Alguien")
- Anders Evaldsson – trombone ("Alguien")
- Uno Forsberg – trumpet ("Soul Deep")
- Lennart Haglund – engineering assistant ("It Will Take a Long Long Time" and "Cooper")
- Mats Holmquist – conducting ("It Will Take a Long Long Time", "Quisiera Volar", "Cooper" and "Alguien")
- Jonas Knutsson – soprano saxophone ("I Was So Lucky")
- Ronny Lahti – mixing ("Let Your Heart Dance with Me")
- Brian Malouf – mixing ("Joyride")
- George Marino – mastering engineer ("It Will Take a Long Long Time", "Quisiera Volar", "Cooper" and "Alguien")
- Mats Persson – percussion ("Soul Deep")
- Mikael Renlinden – trumpet ("Soul Deep")
- Tomas Sjörgen – trumpet ("Soul Deep")
- Stockholms Nya Kammarorkester (credited as SNYKO) – strings ("It Will Take a Long Long Time", "Quisiera Volar", "Cooper" and "Alguien")
- Robert Wellerfors – engineering ("Soul Deep")
Charts
| Chart (2020) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[25] | 58 |
| Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI)[26] | 54 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[27] | 14 |
| Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)[28] | 13 |
| Spanish Albums (Promusicae)[29] | 57 |
| Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[30] | 2 |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[31] | 31 |
Release history
| Region | Date | Format | Edition(s) | Label | Catalog # | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| World | 30 October 2020 | Volume 1 |
|
— | [4] | |
| 13 November 2020 | Volume 2 | |||||
| 27 November 2020 | Volume 3 | |||||
| 11 December 2020 | Volume 4 | |||||
|
Physical box sets | 50541 970819–3 4 (LP) 50541 970850–7 9 (CD) |