Wishful thinking

I’ve been faithfully observing my annual music moratorium for nearly a month. While taking a break from buying, I’ve been spending more time with the CDs I purchased during the past 10 months, trying to fully absorb some favorites from the past few years and spending some quality time with some of my all-time, desert-island discs.

One thing I haven’t been doing is spending time in stores where music is sold. I don’t need the temptation, and I don’t like the torture.

Window-shopping in a record store (or, more likely these days, a bookstore) still can be productive. It’s particularly so when trying to make a Christmas list. I haven’t felt the need to compile such a list since I outgrew the Sears Wish Book, but relatives ask for one because they want to buy me a gift that a) I’ll use, and 2) I don’t already own. Who am I to interfere with my loved ones’ shopping experience? I can browse without buying. As The Boss once said, you can look but you better not touch.

So, while back in the land of my people for a Thanksgiving visit, I took a stroll through the Lewiston, Maine, branch of Bull Moose Music. I found that there were plenty of great gift ideas for the music fan whose father-in-law thinks he already has everything. A cursory flip through the past few issues of Rolling Stone, Paste, Harp and No Depression turned up a few more items that could make my days merry and bright indeed:

“The Joshua Tree: Super Deluxe Edition,” U2 – One of the landmark albums of the 1980s, and 20 years after its release still one of my favorites. I’ve been waiting for years for this album to be remastered, and already wore out one copy (with a lot of help from the car CD player). It appears the wait was worth it: for the 20th anniversary, U2 has released this deluxe reissue that includes the remastered disc, a second disc containing the B-sides and previously unreleased material and a DVD containing a concert film from the Joshua Tree tour as well as a documentary. All that, plus a 56-page book, expanded liner notes, previously unpublished photography and an essay from the normally quiet Edge. If you aren’t willing or able to shell out the $40-$50 that this set costs, it’s also available as a double-CD or just the remastered single disc. This one caught me by surprise at Bull Moose, but it’s been No. 1 with a bullet since I laid eyes on its classy black box.

“Rare and Unreleased Recordings from the Golden Reign of the Queen of Soul,” Aretha Franklin – I could have gone on iTunes and checked out some of this unreleased material from Franklin’s prime Atlantic years (1967-73), but that would spoil the (possible) surprise. If this one doesn’t find its way under the tree, I’ll be setting out to find it sometime shortly after the holidays. If it’s half as good as “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)” and “Lady Soul,” it will be money well spent – by me or a generous gift-giver.

“The Best of the Vee-Jay Years,” Jimmy Reed – Perhaps because he had a simple style, Reed doesn’t always get the credit given to bluesmen such as Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf or B.B. King. Nevertheless, he was one of the most influential Chicago bluesmen. The Rolling Stones – who had impeccable taste back when they were a cover band – included Reed’s “Honest I Do” on their debut album. Reed didn’t write “Big Boss Man,” but he did make it his own. And think about how many times you’ve heard that tune done by other bands. Recently, while listening to this year’s excellent Reed tribute by Omar Dykes and Jimmie Vaughan, it occurred to me that I don’t own a Reed compilation. This could easily be corrected. Are you listening, Saint Nick?

“Let Us Get Together: A Tribute to Reverend Gary Davis,” Marie Knight – I’ll be honest: I didn’t know Marie Knight from Bobby Knight before reading a feature about her in No Depression. I felt like I should have known about her; she was a duet partner to Sister Rosetta Tharpe. You really do learn something every day. I was intrigued by the article and by this project, which pays tribute to acoustic blues luminary Davis. It also features Larry Campbell, the former Dylan sideman who adds something special to every project in which he participates. His name on this album cover would have been enough to get me interested. After checking out some sound clips, I’m eager to hear the whole thing.