While I am still refusing to admit to the fact that the Holiday (spending) season is around the corner (and am soon to pull out my “we don’t even celebrate Christmas on the 25th in Serbia” excuse), lets face some cold, hard facts here:
Thanksgiving is behind us
Christmas is less than a month away
you need to buy some presents
and
you need to be bought some presents too.
So, as sort of a wish list for us and you and everyone we collectively know, I executively decided that over the next 2 weeks we we will do a nice little gift guide for you.
In installments.
And categories.
(making lists is my favorite thing in the world, in case you didn’t know).
None of these are definitive (but ARE unstoppably cool and genre-bending), and are mainly focusing on things released/reissued in the last month or so, as this is when everyone pulls out their “perfect as a gift for” guns…. other suggestions always welcome.
first up:
MUSIC
(there will probably be a part 2 of music as well)
+Miles Davis: Complete On The Corner Sessions
What: A six disc set, 120 page booklet, unreleased songs and 6 and a half hours of Miles’ funk(y) 1972-1975 “electric period”.
Why:Because Miles is God. And this is his James Brown/Sly Stone inspired bible.
How Much: around 100$
Worth it? Not only is this worth it, but if money is no object go an buy the other 7 boxed sets by Miles too. This will be heirloom for generations to come.
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+The Brit Box
What: A four disc set featuring everything and everyone who ruled the “cool britannia” in the late 80s and 90s: Supergrass, New Order, My Bloody Valentine, Verve, Oasis, Blur - the all-star gang is all here but so are the bands you maybe missed the first time around or forgot you loved: Babybird, Kula Shaker, Lush and more….
Why:Because britpop still is the primary influence of every dance night and every indie band you love. Plus, I mean, just check out this song list
How Much: 36.99
Worth it? Itune for Itune, a bargain if we ever saw one.
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+Joy Divison’s Expanded reissues
What: in the cavalcade of newfound Joy Division interest and reissues mania that ensued, a special double disc featuring never-before seen live footage and 3 albums emerges as the “Joy Division gift of choice”
Why:If you’re going to love them, love them right. And fully.
How Much: 25 or so.
Worth it?: only if you’re sort of obsessive about Joy Division. And you are. Admit it!
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+25th Anniversary edition of Michael Jackson’s Thriller
What: A jazzy reissue of the biggest selling album of all time all repackaged and with a DVD which most notably features Michael’s unstoppable live rendition of “Billie Jean” at the 25th Motown awards.
Why:While some may pick “Joshue Tree” as their reissue of the season, MJ before he turned creepy is still as close to perfection as it gets.
How Much: no price has been released yet.
Worth it?: theoretically, yes.
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Ramones: Its Alive 1974-1996
What: 4 hours of previously unseen concert footage by the now almost extinct foursome.
Why: Because punk should be done like this: loud, sweaty, irreverent: tongue is always in the cheek, and occasionally in between teeth.
How Much: 13 bucks, on amazon
Worth it?: Is this a trick question? Its 13 bucks. That is how much a shitty show on a school night costs in DC. And for that you get one of the probably finest live action shows ever recorded.
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Maria Callas: Simply Callas
What: 6 discs of pure opera divadom
Why: Because this is a masterclass in opera greatness.
How Much: 30+ dollars
Worth it?: This is 5 dollars per CD for one of the greatest voices that ever existed. Puts spending 15 bucks on Britney’s latest into perspective, doesn’t it?
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Led Zeppelin: The Song Remains the Same (Collector’s Edition
What: The best of Led Zeppelin’s legendary 1973 appearances at Madison Square Garden. Interspersed throughout the concert footage are behind-the-scenes moments with the band. First released in 1976, now remastered, and with a t-shirt?
Why: A must for Zeppeling completists this includes superbly re-mixed and re-mastered soundtrack (including Dolby 5.1) and four songs missing from the movie that round out the complete Led Zeppelin 1973 Madison Square Garden set: “Over The Hills And Far Away” (previously unreleased); “Celebration Day” (cutting copy - previously unreleased); “Misty Mountain Hop”; and “The Ocean.”
How Much: 30 dollars
Worth it?: Duh. Even if we hear that the t-shirt is kinda shitty in quality. And black. (can black concert t-shirts please die?)
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this is it for now,
we promise to be back with mucho mas.
Some older releases I want to point out based on these suggestions!
Even though I haven’t seen the new Song Remains the Same, I’d still go with the live comp DVD simply titled “Led Zeppelin” from 2003 or what not. It’s a pretty phenomenal collection that is amazing to watch in sequence as the band just explodes through their career. And the surround sound remastering is top notch (as I’m sure this one is too)
Also I just got a really nice Ramones collection entitled Weird Tales of the Ramones from 2005 that includes an amazing comic book with stuff from Jim Woodring, Matt Groening, Bill Griffith, Sergio Argones, Xaime Hernandez and others. It even comes with 3D glasses! 3-discs of music you probably already have compiled by Joey I think + a DVD. Super sweet.
The Miles Davis Complete Bitches Brew collection from, I dunno, years and years ago is expanded to 4 CD’s with tons of outtakes and alternates and a really classy metal bound book.
We should get William to give us a run down of the new Joy Division releases. Is there anything here worth getting if you already have the amazing 4-disc Heart and Soul box set?
November 27, 2007 at 5:03 pmgreat minds…
November 27, 2007 at 5:06 pmEmbarrassing fact of the week - I do believe I own, in one form or another, every single track on that Brit box set. I even have Thousand Yard Stare on cassette (french import) and the single on vinyl - what a dork!
November 27, 2007 at 6:47 pmhow’s that shop assistants song? are they worth pursuing?
here’s a good set of posts by a guy with some good knowledge of the music as well. he came up with missing tracks for two and a half cds:
http://soundbites.typepad.com/soundbites/2007/11/the-brit-box–1.html
November 28, 2007 at 9:29 pmand, as for the joy division reissues, avoid. why?
1) they’re not from the masters. they’re “creatively” remastered by the techies at london records from sources other than the originals. anyone who knows joy division, and ANYTHING about their production would know that this is bloody sacrilege of the worst kind.
b) the second, bonus disks of live tracks with each cd, are really a die-hard fans-only kind of thing (and even then, 11 of the 12 live tracks on one cd has been previously released, and the rest - a shoddy recording of the ulu gig and the high wycombe gig - are inessential). it’s unnecessary, though possibly edifying, for the casual listener to listen to how different joy division sounded live compared to on record. but, some of these recordings are less than optimal. and not worth 25 dollars per record, for a total of 75 (still, closer and unknown pleasures).
and, on the other hand, the heart and soul box set covers everything here and then some. and, it’s still available for less than the combined cost of the reissues at places like soundgarden. yes, it’s got some different live tracks - but all the studio tracks are covered, and, while no release has everything we insane collectors would want (all the picadilly radio tracks, all the demo tracks - not just a selection of them, the bbc masters of the something else performance, an official release of the paradiso gig), it is more than enough for the borderline fanatic. and the booklet, designed by jon wozencroft, is gorgeous.
d) none of the above. verdict: buy heart and soul. if you are a completist, you’ll be tempted to buy the still cd again.
November 28, 2007 at 9:46 pm
miles davis “bitches brew complete sessions” is a better choice. extremely far out and textured and frightening.
“on the corner” is funky, but also really, really bad and boring.
November 27, 2007 at 4:47 pm