Cyber Monday is here, that time of the year where people who would never dream of camping outside of a Target in sub zero temps finally get around to holiday shopping in between updating their Facebook statuses and pretending to work. If you have a music nerd on your shopping list, you know how challenging it can be to get them something special that truly knocks their socks off. By nature, they likely already have everything and you’re unlikely to ever beat them to the punch with something new. For this same reason, I don’t buy clothes for my wife.
But I am here to help. So grab your credit cards, let’s go shopping!
New Order “¢ Music Complete 8LP Vinyl Box Set
In September, New Order released their best album since 1989’s Technique. Music Complete kicks off a new era of their career with Mute records and Mute is going all out to keep the party going long into 2016 and beyond. I listen to the album most of the time on MP3 and it’s great — but when I pop the CD into my car stereo or the home system, the album truly blows me away. New Order is meant to be enjoyed on CD or vinyl, plus it’s a bitch to gift wrap an MP3 file.
Iggy Pop, Brandon Flowers and Elly Jackson of La Roux turn in solid guest vocals, but the true ringer on this album is keyboardist Gillian Gilbert who returns to the fold after more than a decade off. With her in place, New Order get their dark edgy club beat freak back on.
So what oh what to get for the New Order fan in your life?
- If your loved one has any vintage New Order music in their collection, buy Music Complete on CD for them immediately.
- Lose yourself for hours in the online museum, Singularity: The Influence of New Order and then tell them about it. They will be most impressed with your newfound knowledge about Gillian’s island.
Search eBay or Amazon for one of the few remaining copies of Music Complete, the 8LP Rainbow Vinyl experience — featuring the full original album and extended remixes for each song.- Get Music Complete on limited edition 2 LP Clear Vinyl while supplies last.
- The latest single, ‘Tuttu Frutti’ (not a cover song) is out soon as a vinyl and CD single.
12″
Side 1 – Tutti Frutti – Extended 12″ mix
Side 2 – Tutti Frutti – Hot Chip Remix Vinyl Edit
CD / Digital
Single Version
12″ Extended Mix 2
Hot Chip Remix
Tom Trago’s Crazy Days Remix
Richy Ahmed Remix
Hallo Halo Remix
The Ocean Blue “¢ Sire Albums on Vinyl
The Ocean Blue is in a full blown renaissance, from the winning comeback LP, Ultramarine, to their non-stop touring around the world. They’re currently playing their first two albums in their entirety to celebrate the re-release of their Sire Records catalog on vinyl. Colored versions of these albums sold out in a heartbeat, but there’s something incredibly charming about the black vinyl versions that are in stock at Shelflife while supplies last. Watching the Sire logo spin around while I get lost in The Ocean Blue’s shimmering guitars and David Schelzel’s dreamy vocals takes me back to my days of spinning the disc in the wee hours on college radio. Until now, only the self-titled debut was issued on vinyl. The first-ever pressings of Cerulean and Beneath the Rhythm & Sound (including bonus track ‘Sea of Green’) right the wrong of history. Get em direct from the band at their Shelflife store.
Read BOTH of Popdose’s interviews with David Schelzel here (about Ultramarine) and here (about the expanded Waterworks reissue).
As an added bonus, here is one of the Ocean Blue’s few rarities known to exist, the legendary lost track, ‘City Traffic’:
Jack and White “¢ Lost (Limited Edition CD)
Brooke White, one of my favorite singer songwriters, has steadily delivered a fresh album just about once a year. Hot on the heels of last year’s charity album, Never Grow Up, and previous year’s White Christmas (read the POPDOSE interview), she returns to her Jack and White side group for their first official full-length album, LOST. Previously, the partnership with Jack Matranga, released a string of EPs that collectively ranked among my best albums of 2012. While the new album is readily available on Amazon, iTunes and most streaming services, there’s a limited edition CD for sale and their stock is already half way sold out. Get it now at their online store, and if you buy today MONDAY ONLY, use the cyber code CYBERMONDAY for $2 off the already ridiculously low $7.99 (+ $5 s/h) price.
Bloodshot Records “¢ 6 Pack To Go: Working Songs for the Drinking Class
Get your Cyber fingers pumped and ready to JUMP on this first thing on Friday, December 4th, cuz this one is gonna go fast…
If your punk rock loving partner has a country album or two in his or her collection, there’s a good chance it comes from Chicago’s beloved Bloodshot Records. Over the years, Bloodshot has given rise to Robbie Fulks, Neko Case, The Waco Brothers, the Old 97’s and a pre-Taylor Swift obsessed Ryan Adams. The label turned 21 this year and they’re celebrating with a madcap vinyl mega box — production run is limited to 1000 copies and the first 500 get a bonus 7th disc featuring Chicago favorites Devil in a Woodpile and Tijuana Hercules.
The other six 7″ singles showcase revelrous drinking songs by the likes of Deer Tick, Elizabeth Cook, Robert Pollard (Guided By Voices), Bobby Bare Jr, Dale Watson and Banditos.
For the full track listing and pre-order information, visit the 6 Pack page at Bloodshot records.
If you miss out on this one, drown your losses in a pint of your best local ale along with last year’s While No One Was Looking: Toasting 20 Years of Bloodshot Records.
Still in a Dream: A Story of Shoegaze (1988-1995)
Every year, London’s Cherry Red Records comes down the mountain with one or more spectacular archival box sets to celebrate some enchanting niche of British underground culture — from the expanded C86 reissue to Scared to Be Happy (A Story of Indie Pop: 1980-1989). Read more about these collections here (Labels We Love: Cherry Red) and here (286 Essential 80’s tracks missing from your record collection).
This next one doesn’t come out until the end of January (rock and roll doesn’t time itself around one deity’s birthday). But you can still gift it for the holidays. How you ask? Simple. Pre-order it from Cherry Red in the UK (or Amazon in the States), print the lovely JPEG provided below (with the mind blowing tracklist), place it in an empty shoebox and wrap with love. Some things are worth waiting for.
If you really want to score points, drop this JPEG for the deluxe LUSH re-issue, Chorus, into that empty box as well (it also comes out late January).
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