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This 3-CD box set represents a final parting shot from Mansun following the split of the band in early 2003. The first CD gathers together tracks from the sessions for the fourth album that was never completed, and while these are the usual array of electronic space-rock tunes, the hooks are few and far between.

Mansun’s debut album, "Attack of the Grey Lantern", and the follow up, "Six", successfully combined spiky beautiful rock with bleak vocals and plain weirdness; the fourth album tracks, however, are more similar to Mansun’s third album "Little Kix", by which time they had regressed into the domain of lightweight pop.

The second CD is more impressive - featuring a collection of non-album singles, EP-only tracks, and B-sides, it showcases some of Mansun’s older, and, frankly, better moments.

The third CD, as is obviously compulsory in box sets, features a collection of unreleased and live tracks, but a couple of the live tracks are spirited enough to save the CD from box set obscurity. Whilst this collection makes an admirable attempt to force out the last of Mansun’s works from Parlophone Record’s vaults, it is a case of too much of the same thing, making this a collection only for fans – who else could sit through 3 hours of Mansun’s bleak world?

5/10

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