Fuzzy Five: Five Gifts for the Last Second Shopper

So you’ve let it come down to the wire, and you still don’t know what to get that special (or not so special) person for Christmas. I can’t guarantee any miracles, but this list of five gifts should at least prevent you from being put in the dog house or receiving coal on an annual basis.

 

In no particular order:

Movies

• The Alfred Hitchcock Premiere Collection

This sensational box set from MGM is noteworthy in that it includes the extremely rare classic Rebecca, in addition to most of Hitchcock’s other early work. This includes Spellbound, Notorious, and Sabotage. A must have for any classic cinema fan, especially fans of Hitchcock.

• The Wire: The Complete Series

One of the most talked about shows from the HBO camp in history, The Wire lives on through this box set. Sure to find its way into plenty of homes this holiday season, The Wire is an inner-city drama with its reputation built on the show’s unrelenting realism.

• John Adams

When you’re nominated for 23 Emmys, you’re bound to get tons of public attention, not that John Adams really needed much help—particularly given a cast headed by Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney. HBO hit another home run with this series, a show that will win over not only history film buffs but also more casual viewers as well.

• The Sopranos: The Complete Series

Not much more can be said about the Sopranos (I’m sure there are still some people out there that are getting over the finale). However, this box set is certainly worthwhile for the folks that resisted buying single season DVD copies. With over 3.5 hours never-before-seen footage, CD soundtracks, episode guides, and much more, it’s enough to give even the biggest Sopranos fan their needed fix.

• Wall-E/The Dark Knight

The two biggest movies of 2008 deserve the tie in the final spot. You can’t go wrong with either movie this year (especially on Blu Ray).

Music

• Bob Dylan The Bootleg Series, vol. 8: Tell Tale Signs

If compilations like this were counted on the Fuzzy Thoughts top albums list, it certainly would’ve been near the top. If you’re looking to spoil the most discerning of Dylan fans, splurge and buy the three CD box set. This version includes a bonus CD with 12 extra tracks, a book full of Dylan’s singles artwork and a 60 page booklet featuring photos, essays and more.

• Nina Simone To Be Free

This definitive box sets spans nearly forty years and includes 54 songs and 8 previously unreleased tracks in addition to a DVD showcasing her live performances.

• Roy Orbison The Soul of Rock & Roll

An exhaustingly comprehensive set, this 107-song, four disc collection is a must for all who want to own a piece of rock and roll history.

• Led Zeppelin Definitive Collection (Mini LP Replica)

In honor of their fortieth anniversary, Rhino released this novel box set that not only includes every Led Zeppelin album released, but are replicated in the form of remastered CDs replicated to look like the original LPs, artwork and all.

• The Doors Perception

Aside from the clever, door-shaped packaging, Perception not only covers all the albums, but also has a companion DVD for every release that features 5.1 surround sound mixing.

5 Albums to Get Excited About (April Edition)

While it’s been a pretty good year for music already, things are going to be getting even better starting in April. While there are certainly more than five albums to look forward to, here are the five that should most certainly end up in your library once released.

1. 
   The Roots Rising Down
   The Roots appear to be in rare form on this album. While the vastly underrated Game Theory was certainly solid and one of the year’s best, it appeared to be only a prelude to the much edgier and possibly enigmatic Rising Down, which will be released April 29. (For more Roots-related material, see here, here, and here.)
   
2. 
   Portishead Third
   If it feels like it’s been forever since you’ve heard new Portishead material, it’s probably because they haven’t released an album in 11 years. Needless to say, Third is the most anticipated album to come out this year, and it should definitely be a pleaser for many. Even with the incredibly early album leak, expect Third to sell very well and keep many folks happy until their next album is released (which will hopefully take less than 11 years to create). Third will hit stores on April 29.
3. 
   Jamie Lidell Jim
   While Jamie Lidell made quite a bit of noise with his sophomore release Multiply (his debut, Muddlin Gear was released in 2000), Jim is a bit of a coming out party. For all the successes Lidell had on Multiply, the production and overall execution is just that much tighter this time around. The summer album of 2008 comes a bit early, as Jim will be released on April 29. (for more on Jamie Lidell, see this post.)
4. 
   The Black Keys Attack & Release
   Originally intended as a project between Danger Mouse and the late Ike Turner, Attack & Release took on a different form after Turner’s passing. Rather than scrapping the effort entirely, the songs, which were penned by the Akron, Ohio duo, were used for the latest release from The Black Keys, with Danger Mouse at the helm as producer. Don’t expect the slick and overtly lush arrangements that Danger Mouse typically brings to his projects, as The Black Keys sound gritty as ever on Attack & Release. Attack & Release will be released on April 1. (Have a listen to "Psychotic Girl" here.)
   
5. 
   Does it Offend You, Yeah? You Have No Idea What You’re Getting Into
   One of the most hyped bands this side of Vampire Weekend, Does it Offend You… is very deserving of the hype going into their debut album. You Have No Idea… is an incredibly vibrant and innovative album, matching the bands’ awesome reputation as a live act. If it weren’t for so many other strong releases coming out this month, You Have No Idea… would be much higher.

 

Other Picks: Atmosphere When Life Gives You Lemons…, R.E.M. Accelerate, Nine Inch Nails Ghosts I-IV, Foals Antidote, Moby Last Night, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Dig, Lazarus, Dig!, Elvis Costello Momofuku, Clinic Do It!

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Top 5 Albums So far…

Well there’s been a fury of albums released in the last few weeks alone, let alone the ones that have slipped under the radar. So with that in mind, here’s a quick list of five albums that you should already have in your rotation:

1. 
   The Raconteurs Consolers of the Lonely
   
2. 
   Erykah Badu New Amerykah: Part One (4th World War)
   
3. 
   Devotchka A Mad and Faithful Telling
4. 
   The Raveonettes Lust, Lust, Lust
   
5. 
   The Magnetic Fields Distortion

Honorable Mentions: She & Him Volume One, Gnarls Barkley The Odd Couple, Raheem DeVaughn Love Behind the Melody, Sheryl Crow Detours, The Black Crowes Warpaint, Neon Neon Stainless Style

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Five Albums Worth a Look: April Edition

It’s amazing to think that only four months into the year more great albums have been released this year than all of 2006. That trend will continue with so many big-name April releases coming that it’s difficult to single out five individual releases. Of course, my job is to make it easier on all of you, so here are the top five albums that are worth seriously considering next month:

1. Kings of Leon Remember the Times (April 3)

I’m going to warn you right now, Remember the Times sounds nothing like the first two efforts from this family band. While 80’s rock has certainly become the flavor of the month influence-wise, their U2-esque opener "Knocked Up" is the most intimate and personal song that KoL has ever released, and it is absolutely superb for all 7:10 minutes. Between that, the wicked Pixies-gone-dixie piece "Charmer," the single "On Call," and the outstanding and intricate "Ragoo," Remember the Times is sure to impress.

2. Blonde Redhead 23 (April 10)

This appears to be Blonde Redhead’s most focused album yet, not to mention most atmospheric. While there doesn’t appear to be a bad song on the album, the strongest songs are the title track, which seems to be channeling My Bloody Valentine, the churning tracks of "SW" and "Spring and By Summer Fall," and lastly the gorgeous yet melancholy "My Impure Hair." If you’re not familiar with Blonde Redhead yet, be sure to get this album when it comes out.

3. Bright Eyes Cassadega (April 10)

This will probably be the most interesting release of the month, only because I’m interested in just how well Bright Eyes will pull off this country-tinged release. While I still absolutely love the single "Four Winds," I’m not sure how I feel about the overall album yet, but there are some definite gems with songs like "If the Brakeman Turns My Way" and "Make a Plan to Love Me." I do know for sure that those that are already fans of Bright Eyes will love this album, but I just don’t know how much of a new audience Conor Oberst will attract.  

4. Nine Inch Nails Year Zero (April 17)

While I certainly liked and enjoyed Trent Reznor’s last effort With Teeth, it seemed to lack the (pardon the pun) bite that earlier albums showed. Also, after waiting for so long for the album to be released, it seemed that Reznor was almost trying too hard. This time around, Reznor and company appear to offer more than just being loud for loud’s sake, with the twitchy "Survivalism" leading the way. Also, "In This Twilight" and "My Violent Heart" are two other very strong tracks, and is arguably better than anything that appeared on With Teeth.

5. The Electric Soft Parade No Need to be Downhearted (April 24)

With My Morning Jacket finally gaining some popularity thanks to their back-to-back breakthrough albums of It Still Moves and Z, it is now time for The Electric Soft Parade to get their due. You’d be hard pressed to find any of their earlier albums here in the states, but thankfully, No Need to be Downhearted will see a US release on April 24. Wonderfully eclectic, this album boasts such great tracks as "Life in the Backseat" and "Misunderstanding." By far the best track on here, which is a carry over from The Human Body EP, is "A Cold World." I can almost guarantee that you’ll be addicted to these guys after one listen, so be sure to pick this album up when it hits the stores.

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Five Albums Worth a Look (January Edition)

It’s not too often that January albums worth noting crop up. This year, however, (for whatever reason) seems to be an exception. As a matter of fact, there are possibly more than five albums coming in the next few weeks that should be highly impressive or, at the very least, conversation worthy. I can’t name them all though, so here’s a peek at five albums that should be worth checking out this month:

1. The Shins Wincing the Night Away (Jan. 23)
2. Of Montreal Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? (Jan. 23)
3. The Good, The Bad & the Queen The Good, The Bad & The Queen (Jan. 23)
4. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah Some Loud Thunder (Jan. 30)
5. Talib Kweli Eardrum (???)

It’s also worth noting that Norah Jones‘ latest sleep-inducing release, Not Too Late will be released on January 30, as will Busdriver’s RoadKillOvercoat. Lastly, if you’re lucky enough to live in the UK, you can pick up Super Furry Animals frontman Gruff Rhys’ release Candylion, which came out today, no date has been set for a US release.