Last month, we profiled an early CD of the German prog rock group Grobschnitt. In this latest entry, we stay in Europe and move forward about a decade. Swedish pop/rock duo Roxette delivered hit after hit in the ’80s into the ’90s. Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle formed Roxette in 1984 and hit the airwaves with their 1986 debut album Pearls and Passion. A solid first effort, Roxette hit their stride with their follow-up album, 1988’s Look Sharp!

Look Sharp! offers 13 tracks and includes the huge hits as bookends, “The Look” (Track 1) and “Listen to Your Heart” (Track 13). The album was released on CD in the U.S. by EMI (within Capitol Records umbrella) in 1988 under catalog number CDP 7 91098 2. To further promote the Look Sharp! and further Roxette, EMI issued a promotional CD single of “The Look” in 1989.

The single is readily identified as a promo disc by virtue of the catalog number, DPRO 04255. The disc bears just the one track and was packaged in a standard jewel case. The cover shows Fredriksson and Gessle along with lyrics from “The Look”. As a promo disc, there is no barcode on the back insert. This insert has “PROMOTIONAL COPY ONLY” and “NOT FOR SALE” printed in the top right corner.

The back insert references the album with the text, “From the LP “LOOKSHARP!” (E1-91098)”. Yes, the album title is printed as one word. Even with the growing popularity of CDs by 1989, this text on a promo CD still references the vinyl record.

The single of “The Look” was pressed by the U.S. PDO plant. As a PDO pressing, it bears resemblance to early West German pressings with an aluminum hub. The matrix code is “DPRO 04255 01!”, and the text “MADE IN USA BY PDO” is also stamped near the center hole. The disc bears the DPRO catalog number but does not have the promotional text found on the back insert.

Shown below is the cover and back insert for “The Look” promo single, along with the CD.

The cover for the U.S. promotional CD single of Roxette “The Look” (EMI, catalog number DPRO-04255).

The back insert for the U.S. promotional CD single of Roxette “The Look” (EMI, catalog number DPRO-04255).  Note the promotional text printed in the top right corner.

The U.S. promotional CD single of Roxette “The Look” (EMI, catalog number DPRO-04255). This disc was pressed in the U.S. by PDO. The matrix code is “DPRO 04255 01!”, and “MADE IN USA BY PDO” is stamped on the play side near the center hole.