The weather outside might be frightful, so it's the perfect time to curl up with a delightful book, DVD, or box set from a favorite musical artist. Whether you've got a rock, pop, country, metal, hip-hop, gospel, jazz, or classical music fan on your list, there is something here that they will be happy to find in their stocking — and then, hopefully, in the spirit of the holidays, share with you.
BOX SETS
Our pick:
Various Artists, "The Art of McCartney"
Producer-songwriter Ralph Sall is no stranger to the tribute album game, having produced several popular multi-artist efforts, including albums saluting the Eagles and the Grateful Dead. But this new compilation dedicated to Sir Paul's Beatles and solo material — available in five different configurations, from a double disc to a full blown hand-numbered deluxe box including vinyl, a book, and DVD — is a true labor of love.
"Not that I wasn't a lifelong fan of other artists I've worked on projects with, but, you know, there's only one McCartney," says Sall. He assembled the 42-track set over the last 10 years, matching artist to song and enlisting McCartney's backing band to provide the tracks.
In addition to classic and contemporary artists from several genres — including Bob Dylan, Billy Joel, Harry Connick, Jr., and Willie Nelson — performing reverent covers, Sall says, "I tried to include several artists that I would imagine inspired Paul and the Beatles, like Smokey Robinson, Ronnie Spector, Wanda Jackson, Dion, and certainly Dylan."
About his more offbeat, non-hit choices, Sall adds, "If the project works as I intended, you listen to a song and say 'oh that's a great Heart song or a great Smokey Robinson song' — and you find out it's a McCartney song."
Although he has yet to receive word on how McCartney himself enjoyed the package, he did get positive signs during the process. "I sent him songs along the way and got feedback from him. He liked what he heard and was appreciative of what I was doing."
Ultimately, more artists expressed interest in participating than Sall was able to accommodate, schedule-wise. "Maybe if it does well, they'll show up for volume two."
Sarah Rodman
More box sets:
David Bowie, "Nothing Has Changed" Like the artist himself, Bowie's music has been repackaged repeatedly, but this box — available in three differently configured formats — is being dubbed the definitive collection since it spans 1964-2014 and includes his newest song, "Sue (Or in a Season of Crime)." Offering a glimpse of each stop along the way, it's a great place for Bowie newbies to begin the odyssey. (S.R.)
Captain Beefheart, "Sun Zoom Spark: 1970 to 1972" Forty-odd years after their initial release, Captain Beefheart's albums from the early '70s are still strange elixirs that defy genre and era. This box collects "Lick My Decals Off, Baby" (1970), "The Spotlight Kid" (1972), "Clear Spot" (1972), and a fourth disc of outtakes recorded between those years. It's experimental, heady stuff. (J.R.)
Pierre Boulez, "The Complete Columbia Album Collection" How many conductors appear to see not into a score, but through it? Approaching his 90th birthday, Boulez remains the standard-bearer of modernist conducting rigor. This box set reissues his classic recordings for CBS/Columbia all in one place, a total of 67 discs covering all the composers with which he's most closely associated, from Wagner and Berlioz to the French impressionists, from the Second Viennese School to Stravinsky and Elliott Carter. (J.E.)
Ronnie Milsap, "The RCA Albums Collection" Everyone from veteran Vince Gill to newcomer Hunter Hayes has cited Milsap as an influence, which makes sense since he notched 49 Top 10 country hits including "Any Day Now" and "Lost in the Fifties Tonight (In the Still of the Night)." This whopping 21-album collection arrives on the heels of Milsap's recent induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame. (S.R.)
Joni Mitchell, "Love Has Many Faces" The acclaimed singer-songwriter personally curated this four-disc box set according to her vision of love. Originally conceived as a ballet, and therefore subtitled "A Quartet, a Ballet, Waiting to Be Danced," the collection surveys four decades of Mitchell's work with 53 remastered versions of her songs, plus six paintings and her thoughts on the recording process. (J.R.)
Simon & Garfunkel, "The Complete Albums Collection" The harmonious (at least onstage) duo gets the deluxe treatment with this box containing 11 discs: five newly remastered studio albums, four live releases (including "The Concert in Central Park," long out of print), a greatest-hits compilation, and the soundtrack to "The Graduate." Each disc comes in a sleeve replica of the original album art. (S.R.)
Bruce Springsteen, "The Album Collection Vol. 1: 1973-1984" The title tells the tale as this smartly compact box collects the Jersey rocker's first seven albums — "Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J." through "Born in the U.S.A." — five of them newly remastered for CD. Also included is a 60-page booklet stuffed with photos and press clippings. (S.R.)
Various artists, "The Rise & Fall of Paramount Records Vol. II" A follow-up to last year's behemoth box set spearheaded by Jack White for his Third Man Records, this second volume is no less impressive: 800 songs, 6 LPs, and two books, all lovingly packaged in a stainless-steel cabinet. Focused on the Delta blues, this edition covers the label's vast reach from 1928 to 1932. (J.R.)
Various artists, "When I Reach That Heavenly Shore: Unearthly Black Gospel, 1926-1936" The latest addition to the Tompkins Square label's ongoing gospel series, this rafter-rattling collection lives up to its title. The artists on this three-CD (and vinyl) compilation aren't well known, but their voices, songs, and sermons are primal treasures. (Out Dec. 9) (J.R.)
Various artists, "Native North America (Vol. 1): Aboriginal Folk, Rock, and Country 1966-1985" The breadth of material and emotion on this two-disc collection is incredible. Featuring music by indigenous peoples of Canada and the northern United States, the box includes extensive liner notes, artist interviews, and lyrics with translations. Released by Light in the Attic Records, this is a real find. (J.R.)
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