Everything but the Girl: Like the Deserts Miss the Rain

The title of Like the Deserts Miss the Rain comes from "Missing," the first of nine videos on this collection (and the band's biggest U.S. hit). While all could be described as "stylish"--much like Everything But the Girl--they're otherwise quite different. Sometimes Tracey Thorne and Ben Watt appear; other times actors take center stage. "Single," for instance, features a man tumbling across town: down the street, into a Laundromat, in and out of a dryer, etc. Then there's the "populist" video for Simon and Garfunkel’s "The Only Living Boy in New York," directed by art house favorite Hal Hartley (Henry Fool). (The duo appears to have added a few dozen members.) The DVD also includes three live performances, including a fine version of Massive Attack's "Protection" (featuring Thorne on vocals), and three demo tracks that play as photos of the duo pass by. A fine career overview of one of the U.K.'s most enduring acts. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Directed by —, Everything but the Girl: Like the Deserts Miss the Rain leans on a strong ensemble — Tracey Thorn — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about music titles of 2002.