INDY'S WEEKLY ALTERNATIVE NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTING ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

Musical Santa

Last-minute music gift ideas

There have been other years when music fans have had more choices for holiday gift giving — especially with box sets. In a way, that’s to be expected because the list of worthy acts deserving the box set treatment is getting shorter every year. The fact that several of this year’s sets (Johnny Cash, the Band and Ray Charles) feature material included on previous box sets is another indication that the supply chain of deserving artists is getting thin. Still, there were several box sets and DVD packages that would be contenders for any year’s shopping list. Here is a look at some good choices from the crop of 2005 releases.

Top Box Set Picks

The Children Of Nuggets
Various Artists
Rhino Records

The original Nuggets (expanded from an original 27-song set to a four-CD box set in 1998) remains the bible to 1960s psychedelic and garage rock. It was soon followed by a worthy sequel, Nuggets II. The Children Of Nuggets, as the title suggests, seeks to highlight bands that were inspired by the groups on the original Nuggets set. For the most part, this four-CD set completes that mission with enviable results, unearthing tracks from dozens of bands that came and went with little notice, while also including better known acts like the Soft Boys, Bangles, Hoodoo Gurus, the Smithereens, the Fleshtones and Flamin’ Groovies. The set isn’t perfect. It should have been limited to the 1980s (most of the tracks come from that period anyway). And some worthy acts are omitted. (Anyone remember Game Theory, the Incredible Casuals and Dumptruck?) Still, these are small complaints. The Children Of Nuggets is an entertaining, enlightening and worthy successor to the original Nuggets collections.

My Lives
Billy Joel
Columbia Legacy Records

To Joel’s credit, he didn’t take the obvious path with this four-CD/one DVD set. Instead of making the studio versions of his many hits the backbone of My Lives, Joel instead follows his development using many unreleased demos and alternate takes of songs, live versions of hits and worthy album cuts that might not be familiar to casual fans. This approach especially makes sense since the hits are already available on three greatest hits CDs. Even though Joel draws from his back pages, My Lives includes plenty of fine songs and provides a good overview of his career. What’s more, hearing alternative versions of some songs (such as the reggae-fied version of “Only The Good Die Young”), live cuts (a version of “You May Be Right” with Elton John) and the full concert from the “River Of Dreams” tour on the DVD are special treats.

The Legend
Johnny Cash
Columbia/Legacy Records

Cash is already the subject of several box sets and numerous hits collections. But The Legend stands as the most essential of the bunch. Covering 1955 to 2002, The Legend omits Cash’s final decade of recording with Rick Rubin’s American Recordings (that period is covered in great fashion on the box set Unearthed), but otherwise it touches all the bases needed to provide a solid overview of Cash’s amazing career. This makes The Legend an excellent introduction to Cash’s career and a fine entrée into other box sets (such as Unearthed and 2000’s God Love Murder) that examine other dimensions of his career in detail.

The Sentimental Gentleman of Swing
Tommy Dorsey
Bluebird/Legacy Records

Sentimental, yes, but also demanding, Dorsey’s drive for excellence shows on this fine three-CD set. It devotes one disc to his work as a trombonist in other bands, a second disc to his standout studio performances as a bandleader and an entire third disc to live performances, many of which feature a young Frank Sinatra on vocals and Buddy Rich on drums during a fertile 1940-’42 period. (The Dorsey/ Sinatra years are explored in detail on a fine separate two-CD set, The Essential Frank Sinatra with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra.) The spirited, yet precise performances captured particularly on discs two and three of The Sentimental Gentleman Of Swing amply demonstrate why Dorsey is seen as a giant of the big band swing era.

Other worthy box sets

Just Say Sire: The Sire Records Story
Various Artists
Sire/Rhino Records

One of the coolest mini-major labels ever, Seymour Stein’s Sire Records has been home to some of the best and most innovative rock acts of the past 30 years. The big names (Madonna, the Ramones, Talking Heads, to name a few) are all represented, as well as many worthy lesser-known Sire acts, such as Madness, the Undertones and Aztec Camera.

Prince Of Darkness
Ozzy Osbourne
Epic Records

Yes, there was life after Black Sabbath for Ozzy — at least until the ’90s, when his output grew more sporadic and less appealing. The set features key album tracks, but fans will want Prince Of Darkness for its wealth of demos and live cuts, a full disc of collaborations and another disc featuring covers of some of Osbourne’s favorite songs.

What About Ray and the Band?

Two of the year’s big-ticket sets are the Band’s A Musical History and Ray Charles’ Pure Genius. Both sets, obviously, are highly worthy, but with a caveat. They are so complete, they probably will only appeal to diehard fans. In the case of the Band, the new set expands on a 1994 box set, Across The Great Divide, which featured most of the tracks on A Musical History. An earlier Charles box set, 1991’s three-CD The Birth Of Soul, also includes many tracks that are on the seven-disc Pure Genius. The earlier sets, if you can find them, are more than adequate for many fans — and quite a bit easier on the budget.

DVD/CD combos

Now that concert DVDs are as common as tabloid headlines about Britney Spears, it’s getting harder to find the releases that stand out in the crowd. But here are a few that deserve special attention.

Bruce Springsteen: Born To Run 30th Anniversary Edition
Columbia Records

One of the all-time great rock albums, this edition of Born To Run starts with a nicely remastered CD version of the original album. But it’s the two DVDs that make this reissue so special. One DVD features a full 1975 concert from London by Springsteen and the E Street Band. Though Springsteen and the E Streeters didn’t hit their peak until 1978-’79 when the “Darkness On the Edge of Town” tour established them as rock’s greatest live band, this 1975 concert captures much of the passion and unhinged energy that made Springsteen’s live shows the stuff of legend. The second DVD features a highly interesting documentary that finds Springsteen and others providing plenty of insight into the many trials, tribulations and triumphs that marked the recording of Born To Run.

Cream: Royal Albert Hall, London, May 2-3-5-6, ’05
Rhino Video

For sheer historic value, this document of May’s reunion shows of guitarist Eric Clapton, bassist/singer Jack Bruce and drummer Ginger Baker make this one of the year’s most essential DVDs. It’s also lots of fun to watch. Though the trio may lack a little of the volatile fire they showed in the 1960s, the sheer quality of the playing more than compensates.

Also recommended

Brian Wilson, Smile (Rhino Video): This set presents Wilson’s recently completed concept album in concert along with Beautiful Dreamer, the fine documentary on the making of the long-unfinished project.

The Who & Special Guests, Tommy & Quadrophenia Live (Rhino Video): The two famous rock operas are presented in concerts with special guests (Phil Collins makes an especially memorable appearance in Tommy), plus a third DVD captures the latter-day Who doing nearly two hours of hits.

Various Artists, Live 8 (Capitol Records): Last summer’s event lacked the seismic impact of the original Live Aid concerts, but it’s good to see many of the memorable performances preserved on this set.

The Pixies, The Pixies Sell Out (Rhino Video): features the influential reformed band storming through a full 28-song set from a 2004 concert in Belfort, France, plus 15 performances filmed at other shows.

George Harrison & Guests, The Concert For Bangladesh (Rhino Video): The benefit concert that started it all is captured in all its magical glory, as Harrison is joined by Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Leon Russell, Ringo Starr and others.