Really Long Compilation/Box Sets

[joannajewsom]

Like Back to Mono, Peel Slowly and See, Heart and Soul, etc. Just interested in general thoughts on the many extensive compilations out there. Which ones do you own? What are your favorites? Do you find them to be too overwhelming, redundant (ones that just box a band's studio albums), etc.? Which ones effectively deconstruct the music (outtakes, vocal tracks, backing tracks, etc.) and help you appreciate the studio albums more?

[Mr. Shankly]

As far as box sets go, the one's I own are Star Time--The James Brown box set, The Who: 30 Years of Maximum R&B, Old Friends--Simon and Garfunkel, and Songs of Freedom--Bob Marley. Oh, and I also have 69 Love Songs by The Magnetic Fields. I love the first two and Star Time is considered the best most complete compilation of James Brown's work. When it's time to party, it's time for Star Time. I get a little annoyed at the inclusion of dub versions of Bob Marley classics in place of the originals on Songs of Freedom although some the acoustic medley on disc two is amazing! The Simon and Garfunkel compilation is a little annoying because it includes most of the albums's songs but not all of them, but the order runs so that part of the same album starts on the next disc. As for 69 Love Songs, it's too long overall, but over half of it's great and there are good songs on every disc.

Two CD compilations:
The Ramones Anthology--basically great until you get into the late 80's, early 90's on disc two.
Dial A Song--They Might be Giants-- I love this! It's everything you could ever want by this quirky little pop band.
Decade--Neil Young--mostly good stuff.
Land--Patti Smith--If you're like me, and you like your Patti Smith in small doses, this comp does fine. It open with Dancing Barefoot too, which is probably her best song. It also includes the rarity, Piss Factory.

Oh, I also have these burned versions: the Phil Spector set, which I don't listen to too much, a cherry picked three CD Tracks by Bruce Springsteen, which has some essential outtakes, and the first two CD's from Tom Waits' Orphans collection.

[RFNAPLES]

Great Box Sets:

Dixon, Willie-The Chess Box-Blues
Smith, Bessie-The Complete Recordings Vol. 1-Blues
Various-Martin Scorsese Presents The Blues: A Musical Journey-Blues

Harnoncourt, Nikolaus-Beethoven: 9 Symphonies-Classical
Horowitz, Vladimir-Horowitz: The Complete Masterworks Recordings-Classical
Karajan, Herbert Von-Beethoven: 9 Symphonien-Classical
Various-Cinema Classics: Classical Music Made Famous In Films-Classical
Various-The A To Z Of Classical Music-Classical
Various-The A To Z Of Opera-Classical

Atkins, Chet-The RCA Years, 1947-1981-Country
Cash, Johnny-The Essential Johnny Cash 1955-83-Country
Jennings, Waylon-Only Daddy That’ll Walk The Line: The RCA Years-Country
Jones, George-The Essential George Jones: The Spirit Of Country-Country
Miller, Roger-King Of The Road: The Genius Of Roger Miller-Country
Monroe, Bill-The Essential Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys (1945-1949)-Country
Parton, Dolly-The RCA Years 1967-1986-Country
Reeves, Jim-Welcome To My World: The Essential Jim Reeves Collection-Country
Robbins, Marty-The Essential Marty Robbins 1951-1982-Country
Various-Classic Country Music: A Smithsonian Collection-Country

Jackson, Mahalia-Gospels, Spirituals & Hymns-Gospel

Armstrong, Louis-Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Man 1923-1934-Jazz
Davis Quintet, Miles-1965-‘68: The Complete Studio Recordings-Jazz
Davis, Miles-Seven Steps: The Complete Columbia Recordings Of Miles Davis 1963-1964-Jazz
Davis, Miles-The Complete Bitches Brew Sessions-Jazz
Davis, Miles-The Complete In A Silent Way Sessions-Jazz
Davis, Miles-The Complete Jack Johnson Sessions-Jazz
Davis, Miles-The Complete Live At The Plugged Nickel 1965-Jazz
Holiday, Billie-The Complete Decca Recordings-Jazz
Monk, Thelonious-The Complete Blue Note Recordings-Jazz
Nichols, Herbie-The Complete Blue Note Recordings-Jazz
Parker, Charlie-The Complete Verve Master Takes-Jazz
Various-Big Band Jazz From The Beginnings To The Fifties: The Smithsonian Collection Of Recordings-Jazz
Various-Ken Burns Jazz: The Story of America’s Music-Jazz
Various-The Verve Story: 1944-1994-Jazz

Crosby, Bing-Bing! His Legendary Years, 1931 To 1957-Pop
Mancini, Henry-Days Of Wine & Roses-Pop
Sinatra, Frank-The Best Of The Columbia Years 1943-1952-Pop
Sinatra, Frank-The Complete Capitol Singles Collection-Pop

Brown, James-Star Time-Rock
Charles, Ray-The Birth Of Soul: The Complete Atlantic Rhythm & Blues Recordings 1952 - 1959-Rock
Isley Brothers-It’s Your Thing: The Story Of The Isley Brothers-Rock
Marley, Bob & The Wailers-Songs Of Freedom-Rock
Springsteen, Bruce-Bruce Springsteen & E Street Band Live 1975 - ‘85-Rock
Various-The Brill Building Sound: Singers & Songwriters Who Rocked The 60’s-Rock
Various-The Doo Wop Box-Rock

Various-Star Wars Trilogy: The Original Soundtrack Anthology-Soundtrack

Various-The Long Road to Freedom: An Anthology of Black Music-Various
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Bubbling Under The Top 100 Greatest Mus...y RFNAPLES

[telefunker]

i'm gonna have to cast a vote for nirvana's 'with the lights out'

hearing songs such as 'you know you're right' and 'lithium' in such dry, embryonic form is just magical.. really creates an atmosphere and an idea of what life might have been like for cobain pre fame.. lying around under bridges, living in squalour etc.. don't get me wrong, i love the studio veneer, but listening to this is akin to listening or watching unplugged in new york in my opinion

back to mono is quality too.. phil spector hated the album concept, so an overblown greatest hits compilation was always gonna be fitting

pet sounds sessions is good too, interesting to hear all the takes individually and then in the multitrack context.. also worth it for the stereo mixes alone! mono is fine if you're deaf in one ear but us dolphins like it in both cans
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no fat chicks

[joannajewsom]

Thanks for your input, guys! I just bought an external hard drive, so I'm looking to fill it up with as much music as I can. Back to Mono, Pet Sound Sessions, Land, Decade, and Star Time are all on the top of my wishlist. I'll look into the others, also.

Any verdict on the new Neil Young Archives box set that just came out?

[teodor_matz]

i have a JAMC b-sides collection called The Power of Negative Thinking with like 80 songs or something, it's great...

[joannajewsom]

[Ironic Karma]

My favorite box sets:

Complete Bitches Brew Sessions - Miles Davis
Complete In a Slient Way Sessions - Miles Davis
Complete Birth of Cool Sessions - Miles Davis
Peel Slowly and See - The Velvet Underground
Oh, By the Way - Pink Floyd (Getting On my Birthday) I don't have any Pink Floyd CDs, I have all the audio files, but I want this great collectible)

[maxperenchio]

I think the Pet Sounds Sessions, especially the a capella disc, really illuminate the record and can perhaps even convert the haters. Especially comparing it to the mono mixes which undermine some of the vocal complexities just a tad.

As you pointed out, there are a million box sets that just assemble old albums, which is fine for the rich dude who wants that. But if you want to invest the dime, i like the outtakes, rarities, hell even studio banter if the band is good enough.

[Detroit Rock Citizen]

Box Sets I own:

F**k that would take to too long


Two that I recommend to everybody


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