CD sales continue to decline, but that hasn’t stopped the majors from releasing extravagant multi-disc box sets, often priced at $100 or more. Once again, a flood of box sets came tumbling out toward the ned of 2014, but there were plenty of career-spanning sets released throughout the year, most notably from Johnny Winter and George Harrison. We included those, along with three others in our list of the Best Vintage Rock Box Sets of 2014.
~~
True To The Blues:
The Johnny Winter Story
Johnny Winter
The Apple Years 1968-75
George Harrison
As a solo artist, George Harrison certainly had his ups and downs, hits and misses, peaks and valleys. Overshadowed by fellow Beatles John Lennon and Paul McCartney, the guitarist’s creative juices were bursting toward the end of the 60s, culminating with the release of a first solo album from one of the Fabs — Wonderland Music — on the newly minted Apple Records. Harrison’s songwriting had also matured and blossomed, resulting in Beatles classics like “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” “Here Comes The Sun” and “Something.” Once the group disbanded, an avalanche of songs came tumbling out on the three-LP opus All Things Must Pass — released in late 1970. Harrison would go on to issue three more for Apple. Moving forward to where The Dark Horse Years 1976-1992 left off, The Apple Years 1968-75 is an eight-disc box set that starts from the very beginning of Harrison’s solo work with remastered discs of — complete with bonus tracks on each — Wonderwall Music (1968), Electronic Sound (1969), All Things Must Pass (1970), Living In The Material World (1973), Dark Horse (1974) and Extra Texture (1975). The box set also includes a DVD. Read more >
~~
The Complete Epic Recordings Collection
Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble
Steve Ray Vaughan’s legacy as a blues, soulful guitarist is finally getting its due with a nomination for entry into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and The Complete Epic Recordings Collection , a 12-disc set that includes the four albums he recorded in his lifetime with Double Trouble — Texas Flood (1983), Couldn’t Stand The Weather (1984), Soul To Soul (1985) and In Step (1989) — along with the live albums Live Alive (1986), In The Beginning (1992), and Live At Montreux 1982 & 1985 (2001). Topping the set off are the first audio release of 1983’s A Legend In The Making, which features the trio’s renowned performance at Toronto’s El Mocambo club from 1983, and a double disc set of miscellaneous unreleased tracks simply called Archives. Read more >
~~
The Basement Tapes Complete:
The Bootleg Series Vol. 11
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan’s ‘Bootleg Series’ have unearthed some of the singer-songwriter’s most epic moments — from phenomenal live collections like Live 1966: The “Royal Albert Hall” Concert and Bob Dylan Live 1975, The Rolling Thunder Revue to multiple-disc sets of demos, alternates and outtakes, covering periods of 1962 to 1964, 1969 to 1971, and 1989 to 2006. Perhaps no time in Dylan’s career has conjured up more curiosity and fascination than immediately after his fabled motorcycle accident that occurred on July 29, 1966. It wasn’t that he sustained any life-threatening injuries; it was more of a life-altering awakening — one that led to major transformations in how Dylan worked and lived. What is mostly known about the months of May to October in 1967 are the informal sessions that Dylan and his backing band the Hawks recorded in the basement of a pink house in West Saugerties, New York. Nearly five decades later, The Basement Tapes Complete: The Bootleg Series Vol. 11 brings 139 songs from those days to life. Read more >
~~
CSNY 1974
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
We can all agree that Crosby, Stills & Nash are unique combination to begin with. When you add Neil Young to the mix, it becomes a heavier band with more muscle with a need for more room to explore — a big reason why playing stadiums makes more sense. Well, at least, in 1974 when stadium tours for super groups like CSNY were relatively uncommon. Even with Bill Graham at the helm, the challenge of playing 31 concerts in 24 cities was a remarkable feat for Crosby, Stills, Nash, Young and their backing band — Tim Drummond on bass, Russ Kunkel on drums, and Joe Lala on percussion. Now, after 40 years, a three set show from the tour, considered by many to be the first significant reunion tour by any band of renown, has been pieced together for a 40-track box set with a direct and eloquent title: CSNY 1974. Read more >
~~
A Passion Play
An Extended Performance
WarChild
The 40th Anniversary Theatre Edition
Jethro Tull
There is no question that 2014 will go down as a banner year for Jethro Tull fans. Aside from Ian Anderson’s continued forays into the solo realm with Homo Erraticus and Thick As A Brick 2, the real meat and potatoes are in the multi-disc sets of A Passion Play (1973) and WarChild (1974). Both sets feature two CDs and two DVDs in case-bound books, filled with photos and extensive liner notes. For fans of the Ian Anderson, Martin Barre, John Evan, Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond and Barrie Barlow lineup, arguably one of the more progressive eras in the band’s history, then brace yourself for a slew of extras and new Steve Wilson mixes that will stir your aural senses to new heights of euphoria. Read more >
~~
