One of my best friends and I have a long running discussion concerning the packaging of certain CD releases and how it enhances the overall buying experience. Yeah, I know CDs aren’t cool. Vinyl is back, etc., etc. I get it, but still, I feel like I’ve posted enough about my vinyl collection to warrant enough cred to do a CD only post by now, so here goes…
For the last several years, the classic albums re-issued on CD have been at least as interesting (if not more so!) than the new stuff coming out on the major labels. Thought it was time somebody did a top 10 of those, highlighting some of the great re-issue packages available on compact disc. So looking at my collection, and limiting it to re-issues only, my countdown starts with:
10. The Beatles – [White Album]
Got this one years ago, when double disc sets came in a big bulky plastic box that opened on each side (yes, like two CD cases glued together in the middle). The booklet just sort of “floated” in the little tray in between. It was awkward and oddly conceived, but it was the Beatles and one of my favorite albums!
9. King Crimson – 40th Anniversary Reissues (Starless and Bible Black and Discipline shown)
Just a quick reminder, this list is not about what album is better; obviously I consider the Beatles' White Album to be better than the King Crimson reissues shown here, but in terms of deluxe packaging, how can you beat the pervasive red of the Discipline package, the pastel pseudo-cammie background on Starless?
- Queensryche – Empire (20th Anniversary Reissue)
I can remember buying this one on cassette way back in 1991. (Yeah, it was ’92 before I started making the switch to CDs.) It was a disappointing follow-up to Operation: Mindcrime, but in time, and with a few more listens, it came in to its own for me. Now, I think of it as a classic, and love the treatment it received here (complete with fold out tour poster, for the real geeks!).
- Tortoise – A Lazarus Taxon
Really like the concept photos on the packaging… they show an auto accident in various stages, and compiled together like this, sort of work like a zoom-in, zoom-out type thing.
6. John Coltrane – The Complete Recordings by the Classic Quartet
It’s ‘Trane! It’s an eight CD set! It’s practically everything by the “classic quartet”. That means Love Supreme, Quartet Plays, the best of the Coltrane on Impulse! catalogue. What more do I need to say? Get this one, while there are still some available. And while you’re at it, The Complete Village Vanguard set is also a must have.
- U2 – Deluxe reissues (Boy through Joshua Tree only)
These are just amazing! Each one is a CD booklet (two discs) with a mini-cardboard slipcase. Together, they look incredible on the shelf. Six little duckies, all in a row!
Still not sure why they went a slightly different direction with the packaging for Achtung Baby. That one felt a little over-done to me (in terms of reissue packaging, not the music itself). For those interested, also check out the deluxe version of How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, same general concept, bigger book and slip case. And… the last few Nick Cave/Grinderman CDs got this treatment for their original release. Now that’s doing it right!
4. Emerson, Lake & Palmer – Brain Salad Surgery
This is one of my all time favorite album covers. It presupposes H. R. Giger’s vision for the Alien movies by a mere six years. For the uninitiated, he did the cover art here and sketched the design for the lizard-like creatures in the movie. The only things that come close to this level of sheer coolness are Tool’s packaging for Lateralus and 10,000 Days, with their psychedelic art by Alex Grey.
- The Fall – Multi-disc reissues on Beggar's Banquet (The Wonderful and Frightening World… shown)
Like my comments on ‘Trane above… It’s The Fall! It’s a four disc set, filled with BBC Sessions, outtakes and live cuts! Get it while they are still available!
This Nation’s Saving Grace is my favorite in terms of music, but this is my favorite of The Fall reissue packages.
- Miles Davis – Complete Jack Johnson Sessions
Huge, five CD set, with detailed book, recounting
Davis and team’s efforts to bring this recording together.
I love Mahavishnu Orchestra, but this is probably my favorite album where John McLaughlin is featured.
Almost forget that some guy named Miles Davis is playing trumpet in there somewhere.
Incredible stuff!
- Led Zeppelin – The “Crop Circles” Box
Didn’t get this one when it first came out simply because I owned nearly every Led Zep album on both cassette and CD at the time. It just seemed redundant and honestly, quite a bit expensive for my budget. Years later, the buddy I mentioned at the beginning of this post bought a copy and raved about it; so I finally broke down and coughed up the change to procure one myself. Glad I did! In my not always humble opinion, there is nothing out there -- in terms of overall packaging -- that beats it.
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