Box set boys

I've noticed how very expensive box set editions of new albums seem to be cropping up more and more. Is it newly revived, or is just that artists and music who gain my attention have recently caught on to this medium? Anyways not since my mate at school got Mike Oldfield's aptly named Boxed box set - went green with envy - have they been more attractive.

Anyway a quick round up of box sets, in order of apprearance:

1. John Foxx - Cinemascope

- the least pricey of the bunch but also perhaps the most 'economically' made. Features 5 albums forn the grandaddy of electro-rock, plus a DVD of his Cathedral Oceans music/image project and six 'small art prints' by Foxx himself. Strongly recommended for those who want to catch up with the man's work as it features albums originally issued from 2003 - 2006 both in the electronica and ambient style. Discs come in cardboard sleeves. It's art.
Get it from Townsend Records a real bargain at £19.99

2. Franz Ferdinand - Tonight

- not their best album but certianly their most expensive issue to date at around 40 - 45 quid for their box. You get quite a lot for your money though with said box containing:
1. 6 x Jukebox 7" singles of the album
2. The album on CD (plus an album of dub mixes on CD).
3. A DVD containing a forty min documentary of the making of the album.
4. 4 filmed live performances.
5. A 24 page hardback booklet featuring photos & lyrics.
6. A dink to play the 7"s on standard record players.
A must for fans, especially the dink.
source: recordStore.uk

3. Pet Shop Boys - Yes
- apart from the standard CD, download etc. there's also a double CD edition with dub tracks and an exclusive recording 'The Used to Be the Future' featuring Phil Oakey on vocals. Quite hard to come by, apparently, so why not plump for the special box set containing, among other things, "11 super heavyweight 200-gram vinyl records pressed on the classic EMI 1400, each featuring ‘Yes’ album track plus exclusive b-side instrumental version" plus so much other stuff, ...actually. Just as well as it costs a whopping £300.00 (say, three hundred pounds). I wouldn't normally buy this kind of thing.
Ships from 27th April - order at the vinyl factory

4. Depeche Mode - Sounds of the Universe
- yes the dizzy Deps are back again this year with new album and a 'tour of the universe' no less and home by Christmas! While pirate copies of the album begin to circulate, snub the common-or-garden CD, and order your "Deluxe 4 disc" 'SOTU' box set now to ensure your copy and get 3CDs plus a DVD. "Bonus songs and remixes, as well as 14 exclusive demos..." are promised together with "Two 84-page hardback books" to leave lying around on your coffee table. Impress friends and become popular! Prices from £56.79 on amazon and others (choose country or planet here).










Mike Oldfield: he started it.