Music is one of those gifts that always sounds like a good idea, but is usually very difficult to shop for. How do you know if the gift you buy is a) something the recipient likes or b) something they don't already own? As someone who is a fan of music in all forms, I understand how frustrating this can be for both the gift giver and the receiver. During most of my youth I would periodically receive gift cards for record stores, usually for the major chains like Sam Goody and (the now defunct) The Wherehouse. This ultimately would result in me pulling my hair out for over an hour while I tried in vain to find something worth buying in their limited and expensive music selection. The whole exercise usually ended in the purchase of blank tapes (remember those days?) or a CD case. In order to prevent a similar fate from happening to you this year, I have put together a small list of my favorite gifts this holiday season for music lovers.
1. Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane - Live at Carnegie Hall: This recently released 1957 concert was found in a box of unmarked recordings by an engineer at the Library of Congress earlier this year. Remastered to sound as close to the real thing as possible, this concert captures two Jazz legends feeding off of one another as they create music rich in power and depth. The young Coltrane's (only 31 at the time) blistering tenor solos give us a glimpse of the future greatness that awaited him during his solo career, whle Monk's piano is the perfect accompanyment to Coltrane's stream-of-consciousness style. This is a must-have for any Jazz lover.
2. Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run (30th Anniversary Edition): Has it really been 30 years since "The Boss" released this masterpiece? Relive the brilliance of Springsteen as his finest with this three disc set of digitally remastered music. Comes with a concert DVD of his never-before-seen 1975 concert at Hammersmith Odeon, London and a documentary about the making of the album.
3. U2 - Vertigo 2005 - Live from Chicago: Speaking of live concerts, there is no better live band today than U2. Having attended 5 of their concerts over the years, I can attest to the sheer power and energy they bring to the stage. This live concert from Chicago's United Center Arena earlier this year captures the Irish quartet's Vertigo 2005 tour and sees the band playing a healthy mix of new, old and very old material.
4. Director's Label Series Vol. 2 DVD Box Set: Ever wondered what happened to the lost art of the music video? Since MTV never plays videos anymore, it is easy to forget that the music video was once a viable artistic endeavor. Volume two of Palm Picture's Director's Series showcases the work of music video visionaries Mark Romanek, Stephane Sednaoui, Johnathan Glazer and Anton Corbijn. Review their breakthrough videos for artists such as Bjork, U2, Joy Division, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Echo and the Bunnymen, Madonna, Beck and more. Each DVD also includes non-music video work like mini documentaries, short films and TV commercials.
5. Fiona Apple - Extraordinary Machine: It took over six years for Fiona Apple to release the follow-up to her acclaimed sophomore album. In that time she recorded most of the tracks for Extraordinary Machine and then subsequently scrapped the recordings after she became unhappy with them. After switching producers and re-recording most of the material, the result was 12 beautiful songs of love and heartbreak that sound brighter and more accessible (in a good way) than her previous work.
...stay tuned tomorrow for part 2