Finding just the right gift for a music aficionado on your holiday shopping list can be really time-consuming. With that in mind, below is a guide to some noteworthy rock and pop box sets, classic reissues, and books to help speed things along. Some can be purchased via major retailers such as Amazon, Target and Walmart with expedited shipping.
BOX SETS
Backstory: Released in August 1966, Revolver spawned
the double A-sided hit single “Yellow Submarine/Eleanor Rigby.” The band was more
adventurous in the studio, utilizing tape loops, Middle Eastern and chamber music,
and manufactured sounds. According to Paul McCartney, “Some other artists found
a formula and repeated it…John [Lennon] and I said that if we ever found one,
we would get rid of it immediately.”
The latest part of The Beatles’ revered catalog to get spruced
up, this astounding box set features a sparkling new stereo and remastered original
mono mix. Using a new sound technology developed for Peter Jackson’s The Beatles
- Get Back documentary series, producer Giles Martin and company were able to
isolate the vocal and instrumental Revolver tracks and bring them more
to the fore. It’s almost like experiencing Revolver for the first time. The
main album has more clarity; the Sessions discs provide multiple revelations as
you hear George Martin and the band’s studio chatter, trying out various
instruments, vocal arrangements and more.
What’s inside: The Super Deluxe CD and LP editions contain
more than two dozen revelatory early session takes and other versions and the
non-album chart-topping single “Paperback Writer/Rain” as an EP. The 12x12” slipcase
has a cardboard foldout sleeve where the 5 CDs tuck inside slots. The excellent
100-page hardback book comprises a foreword from McCartney, an intro by Martin,
a Questlove of The Roots essay, insightful track notes by Kevin Howlett, rare photos
(handwritten lyrics, tape boxes, recording sheets, print ads) and extracts
from original album cover artist/musician Klaus Voormann’s
"Revolver" graphic novel.
Also available in 1CD, 2CD, 1LP and digital configurations.
Backstory: The former Wham! front man emerged in 1996 after
a 5 ½ year absence with his third solo album – a sophisticated foray into pop
and R&B, with occasional dance, jazz and bossa nova elements. Older was
successful in America but had a much bigger chart run in Europe and especially England,
which sent six singles (notably “Fastlove” and “Jesus to a Child”) into the top
3.
What’s inside: Utilizing a double 12x12” slipcase, the sleek
physical Super Deluxe edition box set contains CD and LP versions of both the
exquisite remastered Older (as a 2LP 180gsm vinyl gatefold with lyrics)
and Upper album featuring radio versions and edits. There is an
additional three CDs of extended mixes and remixes that originally appeared as
B-sides and EPs. Standouts include a soulful live rendition of “Freedom ’94,” a
live, stripped-down piano-based “One More Try” and “Star People (Unplugged)”
and a gorgeous studio version of the Bonnie Raitt-popularized “I Can’t Make You
Love Me.”
A 48-page “Story of Older” book – exclusive to the box set -
has an oral history of the album using archival and recent interviews, rare photos,
and other ephemera. Additionally, there are three collectible color art prints on
heavyweight stock. The entire packaging exudes “class.”
Also available as a 2LP format.
Backstory: While in Nashville to appear on ABC’s “The Johnny
Cash Show,” Neil Young went into a studio with a quickly assembled group of
studio musicians he called The Stray Gators. Linda Ronstadt and James Taylor
added background vocals to some tunes. Later, Stephen Stills, David Crosby and
Graham Nash would do the same. Young got the London Symphony Orchestra to
sweeten a pair of songs and more recordings were done with The Gators in a barn
at Young’s California ranch. The result was a solid, highly successful country/rock
album that reached #1, spawned his biggest single (“Heart of Gold”), went
multi-platinum and attained gold status in the U.S. “The Needle and the Damage
Done” and “Old Man” remain concert staples to this day.
What’s inside: Each box set format (3CD+2DVD, 2LP+7″+2DVD) contains the main album, BBC In Concert from 1971 and a special EP of Harvest outtakes – “Dance Dance Dance,” “Journey Through the Past” and “Bad Fog of Loneliness” – all of which are top notch. A poster and hardcover book with rare photos and liner notes by photographer Joel Bernstein are also included. As for video: The half-hour-long BBC special looks sharp and saw a relaxed Young perform acoustically in front of a small studio audience. “Harvest Time,” a previously unreleased two-hour 1971 documentary, details the making of the album. There are laid back cameraman interviews with Young and the band, interesting scenes of them jamming, Young discussing the orchestral arrangements, having fun with his CSN compadres in the studio, doing radio interviews with Scott Shannon (and a young fan) and more.
Backstory: Before making its 13th studio album, Queen took more than a year off to do solo projects. When the musicians regrouped, they were faced with Freddie Mercury’s HIV+ status and deteriorating health. They adopted an “all for one” attitude and credited all songwriting the entire band. The Miracle was released in 1989 and many promising leftover tracks later appeared on B-sides, solo projects and final albums Innuendo and Made in Heaven. Frequently rocking harder than its predecessor, The Miracle topped the UK charts and is commonly ranked among the band’s finest of the Eighties. Five singles reached the UK top 30 (the biggest one, “I Want it All,” is often licensed for American TV commercials). Stateside, the album went gold.
What’s inside: The 5CD/1LP+Blu-ray/DVD collector’s edition box
set contains art prints, poster, postcards, a gatefold LP restoring “Too Much
Love Will Kill You,” plus discs titled The Miracle Sessions (original
takes, demos, rough takes, six unreleased tracks), Alternative Miracle (extra
tracks, B-sides, extended and single versions), Miracu-mentals (instrumentals, backing
tracks of the core songs) and Miracle Radio Interviews (BBC Radio 1 and
America’s syndicated Rockline with DJ Bob Coburn originating from KLOS FM/Los
Angeles). Among the previously unheard songs is the mild rocker “Dog with A
Bone,” piano-based “I Guess We’re Falling Out,” and the sparse, Asian music-influenced
ballad “Face It Alone.”
The video component has the five promotional music clips, Roger
Taylor, Brian May, and John Deacon interviews on the “Breakthru” video set
(Deacon is very chatty and never gave future interviews), behind the scenes video
footage (a chat with the kids who appeared as Queen doppelgangers in “The
Miracle”) and details on how the “four-headed” band image was created for the
album cover.
A 76-page hardback book includes dozens of photos (many previously
unseen), original handwritten fan-club letters from the band, press reviews
from the time and liner notes, with other recollections from the band.
Also available as deluxe 2CD collector’s edition with the
Sessions disc.
Backstory: Singer Deborah Harry and the influential New York
City rock band put out classic late 1970s/early ‘80s albums Parallel Lines,
Eat to the Beat and Autoamerican and garnered #1 singles in both the
US (“Heart of Glass,” “Call Me,” “The Tide is High,” “Rapture” and UK (the
first three, plus “Atomic” and “Sunday Girl”). A forerunner of the new wave
movement, they were the first to propel rap into the mainstream.
What’s inside: The first authorized Blondie box set covers the
group’s initial, most fruitful career phase. Bountiful track listings make up the
Super Deluxe Collector, 10LP and 8CD configurations and the extravagant
packaging should definitely satisfy diehard fans who’d waited four years since
being announced (the retrospective recently got a Grammy nomination for Best
Historical Album). In addition to the half dozen remastered studio albums,
there are B-sides, demos, and outtakes.
Among the numerous noteworthy inclusions: “Yuletide
Throwdown” (basically a slowed down “Rapture” alongside Fab 5 Freddy with
Christmas lyrics), spirited ‘60s girl group covers popularized by The
Marvelettes and Shangri-Las (“The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game,” “Out in
the Street”) and listening to the trajectories of “Heart of Glass” and “The
Tide is High.”
Against the Odds comes housed in a foil-wrapped
carton. The accompanying books (depending on which set is purchased) contain liner
notes by Erin Osmon, track by track commentary from all original members, essays
by producers Mike Chapman, Richard Gottehrer, and Ken Shipley, colorful illustrated
discography, and cool period photographs.
Also available as deluxe 4LP or 3CD configurations of
bonus tracks in a hardcover book or slipcase.
Backstory: Although The Cure had been a cult favorite among US
college and alternative radio stations for most of the Eighties, it wasn’t
until 1989’s double platinum-selling Disintegration and the #2 pop hit
“Love Song” that the Brits finally became a household name in America. While
making Wish, leader Robert Smith used a small palate of sounds to create
a gentle, yearning vibe. It resulted in one of The Cure’s signature romantic
tunes, “Friday I’m in Love,” and other modern rock charters like “A Letter to
Elise” and “High.”
What’s inside: The deluxe 3CD edition sports 45 tracks. In
addition to the original album remastered by Smith and Miles Showell, CD2 has 21
previously unreleased demos - four 1990 studio vocal demos and 17 instrumental
demos. The third CD is really fascinating, with a handful of hypnotic tracks
from the mail-order-only 1993 cassette Lost Wishes that never appeared
on CD or digitally, rare 12-inch mixes and an even more harrowing “End” live
from Paris in 1992 which is two-minutes longer than the studio version.
Also available as 1CD. The 2LP edition is slated for January
27.
Backstory: Mellencamp showed a propensity for deftly writing about hopes, dreams, and values of average working folk during “Pink Houses” in 1983. Two years later, he expanded upon that theme with “Rain on the Scarecrow” and “Small Town” from the excellent Scarecrow. One of the singer/guitarist’s most successful albums, it spun off five top 30 pop singles and fared even better at Album Oriented Rock radio. Drummer Kenny Aronoff really proves his mettle here. Special guests include singer Rickie Lee Jones and slide guitarist Ry Cooder.
What’s inside: The 2CD+LP+Blu-ray+7” vinyl in the Super Deluxe edition box set comes with a lift off lid. It includes the remixed and remastered original album which sounds stronger than ever, a Blu-ray with Dolby Atmos and hi-resolution stereo mixes, a half-speed mastered LP and 7” single of “Small Town.”
Among the rare and previously unreleased demos, rough mixes, and other songs: “Carolina Shag” and “Smart Guys” would’ve made worthy additions to the original release, “Small Town” (acoustic) is riveting, and fun covers of tunes popularized by the Drifters and James Brown (“Under the Boardwalk,” “Cold Sweat”) find Mellencamp sharing vocal duties with his touring band. Additionally, there is a poster, art cards, a booklet with an essay by Rolling Stone’s Anthony DeCurtis and a new Mellencamp interview with John Mellencamp.
Also available in 2CD, 1LP formats.
Backstory: The fourth album by Elton John, released in 1971,
was more successful in America than the UK. It featured the singles “Tiny
Dancer” and “Levon.” Both fared modestly on the U.S. charts, but would, along
with the title track, become a frequent part of John’s concerts for 50 years. Paul
Buckmaster’s string arrangements enriched most of the songs. John’s “classic”
touring band lineup (Dee Murray, Nigel Olsson, Davey Johnstone, Ray Cooper) all
were featured for the first time here. Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman also played
Hammond organ.
What’s inside: The 3CD+Blu-ray box set includes the original
album utilizing a 2016 remaster, 18 previously unreleased tracks, a poster and
104-page book, photos, an essay with various interviews, memorabilia, and
artwork. The Blu-ray features a 5.1 mix, 1971 BBC Sounds for
Saturday and 1971 Old Grey Whistle Test performances. The 4LP,
180g vinyl box set, includes a 40-page booklet and more. Among the highlights:
the various piano demos, live cuts and original “Madman” song done for Tumbleweed
Connection with guitarist Mick Ronson (from David Bowie’s Spiders from Mars)
but reworked by Johnstone.
Also available: 2CD and 1LP formats.
BOOKS
“Bowie at 75” by Martin Popoff (Quarto)
“Bowie at 75” is an impressive coffee table book where music
journalist/author Martin Popoff presents 75 thumbnail sketches of important milestones
in the rock legend’s life and career (David Bowie would have turned 75 in 2022),
including every album and selected singles. He doesn’t sugarcoat the low points
either.
Housed in a half-felt slipcase with lenticular-style cover
(think: the first Bowie Sound+Vision box set on Rykodisc), the hardcover
book features live concert and offstage photos and memorabilia such as gig
posters and 7” single picture sleeves on glossy paper stock. There’s a gatefold
timeline, a gatefold painting depicting "A Party of Bowies," a
previously unpublished 8x10 glossy print, index, and a pullout poster by noted gig
poster artist Frank Kozik. Longtime fans who think they know everything
about Bowie will likely find some surprising factoids that Popoff has uncovered.
Available through Amazon and quarto.com.
“Still Alright” by Kenny Loggins with Jason Turbow
(Hachette)
At just under 300 pages, “Still Alright” is a breezy read, just like much of the singer/guitarist’s 1970s soft rock music. He writes – often with self-deprecating humor - about growing up in Southern California and becoming immersed in the Pasadena-area folk scene, touring for the first time in a well-known band (that had no original members!) and forming Loggins and Messina. A good chunk of the memoir is devoted to the latter. Yet the most interesting sections are when Loggins starts having hits: his songwriting relationship with Michael McDonald, duetting with Stevie Nicks, becoming the soundtrack king in the Eighties, taking part in “We Are the World,” etc. Although the book lags a bit when the singer/guitarist started getting into self-actualization and therapy during the Nineties and beyond, most Loggins fans plenty to savor here.
This gift guide originally appeared in Rock Cellar Magazine.
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