Eden is the debut studio album by British musical duo Everything but the Girl. It was released on 4 June 1984 by Blanco y Negro Records. The album contains the single "Each and Every One", which peaked at number 28 on the UK Singles Chart. The cover design was by lead singer Tracey Thorn's former colleague in the Marine Girls, Jane Fox. By 2012, Eden had sold around 500,000 copies. Eden was reissued in 2012 as a remastered edition by Edsel Records.
Everything but the Girl (sometimes described as EBTG) were an English musical duo, formed in Hull in 1982, consisting of lead singer and occasional guitarist Tracey Thorn and guitarist, keyboardist, producer and singer Ben Watt. Everything But The Girl have received eight gold, and two platinum album BPI Certifications in the UK, and one gold album RIAA Certification in the US. They had four top ten singles and twelve top forty singles in the UK. Their biggest hit song "Missing" charted high in several countries and reached number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1995.
Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt are the husband and wife team known as Everything But The Girl, who are most famous for their smash hit single "Missing". A Todd Terry remix of "Missing" reached No.3 in the UK and No.2 in the US in 1995. Before and after, the duo had a succession of very minor chart hits, with several songs breaching the Top 40 in the UK. Their other most successful song was "I Don't
Everything but the Girl hit the ground running with their first album, Eden; in some ways, they wouldn't equal the effort again for years. Though both Tracy Thorn and Ben Watt learned how to use their voices to better effect over the years, their vocal talents are evident here. Singing over a gentle, tropical-toned combo, Thorn sounds strong and free, and, when the occasion calls for it, vulnerable. Watt may be a little melodramatic on "Tender Blue," but the affecting "Soft Touch" more than makes up for it. Meanwhile, "Another Bridge" presages "Me and Bobby D" (from The Language of Life); "The Dustbowl" succinctly captures a post-breakup reflection with only a modicum of regret; "Frost and Fire" reaches out from daughter to mother; and "I Must Confess" neatly sambas its way out of a finished relationship. Mature, intelligent, and unflinchingly romantic, it ranks among EBTG's best work.
The Best of Everything but the Girl is divided between selections from their early records and remixes of '90s hits such as "Missing." Consequently, the album draws a slightly misleading portrait of their career, yet it still functions as an excellent introduction to the band, since it features many of their best songs, including "Apron Strings."