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24 May 2007
Would you please recommend some music box sets for me to buy?→[More:]I'm box set crazy lately, and looking for more of them. Thank you.
As for genres, I'll leave it pretty open (country, blues (no Blueshammer please), electronic, dub, punk, metal, leftfield/experimental - it's all good) - but feel free to steer clear of classic rock.
Lee Perry - Arkology
Bob Marley - Soul Revolutionaries: The Early Jamaican Albums
Fela Kuti - Highlife Jazz and Afro-Soul (1963-1969)
Johnny Cash - Unearthed
I have Arkology and the Girl Group box set, and I have Cash - Legend, so I probably won't be getting another Cash set anytime soon. Fela Kuti looks good, as does the Goth one. Goodbye, Babylon, wow, beautiful packaging. A big plus, despite it's pricieness.
Yeah, upon further reflection, Unearthed is probably best for someone who doesn't already own the original American albums.
The Supremes and Jackson Five boxes are both pretty good, if you're into the Selected as opposed to Collected kinda thing. And Mosaic Select boxes are really nice, presuming that you're a fan of the artists.
"The House That Trane Built: The Story Of Impulse Records"
Miles Davis: "The Cellar Door Sessions 1970"
The Miles Davis Quintet: "The Legendary Prestige Quintet Sessions"
...plus, Albert Ayler's "Holy Ghost" is so great it makes my teeth hurt; silly expensive, tho.
Electronic/Avant
"OHM+: The Early Gurus Of Electronic Music" (basically a best of early electronic music + an great DVD)
Deathprod: "Deathprod" (none more black!)
"Text-Sound Compositions - A Stockholm Festival"
Post-rock (for a lack of a better description)
Tortoise: "A Lazarus Taxon"
Post-punk/pop
Guided By Voices: "Hardcore UFOs"
...and the Swell Maps' box that contain all of their seven inch records.
See if you can find Trojan Records' "Soulful Reggae for Lovers" series. Also Proper Records' "Broke, Black, & Blue." RCA's "The Man Who Invented Soul: Sam Cooke" is four CDs of sweet clover honey. On only two CDs, not really a box set, is "Curtis Mayfield & The Impressions: The Anthology." Get it.
I second the recommendation of GbV's "Hardcore UFOs," and add their "Suitcase" box set, too. (You can usually find these used for a pretty decent price.)
I thought I'd never advise anyone else to do this in my life, but--sign up for BMG Music Service. When I was a member I got tons of boxsets through them at ridiculously cheap prices. They're practically giving them away.
Recommendations:
Richard Pryor: ...And It's Deep, Too!
Robert Plant: Nine Lives
Miles Davis: Live at the Plugged Nickel 1965
oh man, so many great suggestions here, thanks again all. Really. I'm piling up my wish list now. I wish I could just get them all. It's why I love box sets - it really lets you delve into an artist or genre which always lends to a greater understanding of them. It's like its the only band/artist/genre that matters for that listening time. Plus, they're often beautiful.
Thanks for the "Arrrr!" Kelly, box! Ignition Remix it ain't , but it's workin' on my hangover a bit. Smoove. And hilarious. And if time allow us
we'll be gone for hours
I won't stop until I give you meateor showers
Ha! I just love that he sat down, put on his spectacles and wrote that. Hmmm, "sexual powers"...or, no, wait - "meteor showers"...yeah, got it!
The Complete Hank Williams is really great, as is the Smithsonian Folkways collection(s). Sonic's Rendezvous just came out with a complete recordings box, and I picked up a box called Solid Gold Wiggan Casino for $10 (new!) that's pretty great, though it can be hit or miss at points.
The Miles boxes of Bitches Brew and Silent Way are really nice, with the extended sessions.
Hitsville USA: The Motown Singles Collection 1959-1971. 1972-1992 isn't quite as good. Or go crazy with the Complete Motown Singles (Pitchfork Media reviews of volumes 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5; Amazon link for Volume 6. Each volume is a box set with every Motown single and B-side from a year. There will be more volumes; they're only up to 1966.
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