If the items in this gift roundup appear skewed to baby boomers, that's not our fault. Record labels, publishers and the music biz on the whole seem to have figured out that younger fans will be asking for iTunes gift cards and nothing out of a physical store. Here's the stuff for music fans who want to get physical.
CDs Bruce Springsteen, "The Promise: The Darkness on the Edge of Town Story" (three CDs and three DVDs, $120). Easily the year's most stunning and ambitious boxed set, this bonanza features one of the best albums of outtakes ever (the 21-song "The Promise"); 1978's "Darkness" in studio, plus a 2009 live version; a DVD on the making of the album (see Steve Van Zandt without a bandana or hat) and another featuring 1978 concert performances. It's all packaged in a spiral notebook filled with handwritten lyrics, set lists, photos and Springsteen ephemera. (John Bream)
R.E.M., "Fables of the Reconstruction" (two CDs, $30). Sort of a between-eras album not among the band's best remembered, it makes for an interesting 25th-anniversary set. You can hear (and read about) Michael Stipe & Co. feeling their way to a bigger, often better sound, especially in the extra disc of hard-working demos and outtakes. (Chris Riemenschneider)
Weezer, "Pinkerton" (two CDs, $30). As one of the few critics who sang this sophomore album's praises from the get-go, I might put a little extra value on this deluxe edition. But all the hype and legend add to the enjoyment, and musically it stands up -- much more than, say, "Buddy Holly." The live tracks, demos and outtakes vary in quality, but the fact there's a lot of 'em adds to the fun. (C.R.)
Nine Inch Nails, "Pretty Hate Machine" (CD $11; vinyl $30): There's only one bonus track on this reissue -- an Al Jourgensen-produced cover of Queen's "Get Down Make Love" -- but the hi-fi quality is immaculate enough to make you feel like you're down in it with Trent Reznor during the making of his classic 1991 debut. (C.R.)
Bob Dylan, "The Witmark Demos 1962-1964" (two CDs $19; vinyl $135). Hear the great Minnesotan talk (he even tells jokes), sing with a clear voice (by Dylan standards) and try to find his musical compass. This ninth installment in his bootleg series showcases 47 works in progress, including piano versions of "Mr. Tambourine Man" and a slower "The Times They Are A-Changin'" and 15 obscurities, including "Guess I'm Doing Fine." (J.B.)
Syl Johnson, "The Complete Mythology" (six LPs plus four CDs, $80): How did such a little-known legend merit such a bulky boxed set? More surprising, a lot of this isn't even the Chicago R&B singer/guitarist/label-operator's best-known recordings. This one's for the really nutty collectors, as it gathers up a lot of his hardest-to-find LPs, singles and unreleased recordings and sorts through it with a 52-page booklet. The label, Numero, only sent out a sampler, but it had us wanting to hear a lot more. (C.R.)
BOOKS "Life," Keith Richards (Little, Brown, $30). In his wildly entertaining memoir, the Rolling Stones guitarist regales us with tales of sex (Mick Jagger has a "tiny todger"), drugs ("I was very meticulous about how much I took") and rock 'n' roll ("if you're working the right chord, you can hear this other chord going on behind it, which actually you're not playing"). It's all delivered with Keith's usual I-survived-somehow-didn't-I smirk. He's thoughtful, funny and hopelessly rock 'n' roll, even if he doesn't expound enough on Brian Jones, Altamont and sharing a bed with Gram Parsons (really). (J.B.)
