Every family has at least one music nerd, and we’re here to help you make that person happy. Our gift guide for this holiday season features a little bit of everything, and if you can’t decide on something then just buy a gift certificate and a t-shirt. Everyone loves gift certificates and t-shirts! Happy holidays from all of us at The End of All Music!
First up! One of the best–if not THE best–reissues of the year, Bob Dylan’s “Another Self Portrait.” This is the 10th volume in the excellent “Bootleg Series.” Comprised of rare recordings from Dylan’s “Self Portrait” era, these tracks probably should’ve been what “Self Portrait” was. It’s a really great collection on 3 LPs, 2 CDs, and extensive liner notes and photos.
2.) One of the many amazing releases from the Dust-to-Digital label out of Atlanta, Georgia. Most notably, the “Goodbye, Babylon” CD box set. It comes housed in a wooden box stuffed with real cotton (we aren’t kidding). It also collects some of the best gospel recordings on 6 CDs to ever be compiled. This collection is so good that Bob Dylan once gave it to Neil Young as a gift! But don’t let that stop you, Dust-to-Digital puts the same love and care into all of their releases and we stock ’em all. See what they have here.
3.) Light in the Attic Records continues their excavation of the Lee Hazlewood Industries catalog and they’ve finally done it! We think! This book/CD set is a doozy. The photos in the book alone are worth it, but then you get the music and the documentary, “Cowboy in Sweden.”
4.) This is a rare collection from the Chess Masters Series that was popular in the 80s and now hard to find. We have the excellent Muddy Waters Chess Box compiling his best from 1947-1972 on 6LPs and a booklet. The records are in mint condition and the box is near mint with a ding on one corner. We only have 1 of these!
5.) Calling all R.E.M. fans, we scored an amazing R.E.M. collection some months back containing most of the super rare holiday 7″s only available through the R.E.M. fanclub. These pop up on eBay occasionally and go for big bucks, but we got you covered if you’re in the hunt. Call the store for more details on these…
6.) This collection will make for an interesting gift to that intense music fan you know that already has everything. He probably doesn’t have this! This collection of ambient work–The Disintegration Loops–by renowned musician/artist William Basinski is one of the most important pieces of music ever made. We have the CD box set in stock, but if you’d like the vinyl let us know and we’ll get it for you!
7.) Time to get funky with this badass collection of Minneapolis soul from the time before Prince was king. “Purple Snow: Forecasting the Minneapolis Sound” is the newest box set from Numero Group and one of their best. Pitchfork gave it their “Best New Reissue” stamp.
8.) This one was on our gift guide last year, and here it is again. No description really needed: The Grateful Dead “Warner Bros. Years” Vinyl box!
9.) This one touches home for us. Recorded in Oxford in 1963 by former Ole Miss football stars Jimmy Hall and Robert Khayat (who later became Chancellor Khayat), “The Gospel According to Sam” is a 10″ record featuring the excellent blues guitarist Sam Langhorn. Some say he is the best blues guitarist to come out of Oxford. This is a perfect stocking stuffer if you have stocking that’s big enough.
10.) Last, but not near least, you can always get a Gift Certificate in any amount you desire.
This is by no means all that we have in mind for great gifts. Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook as we’ll be posting more ideas as the big day approaches.
Thanks, and happy holidays!
