A Music-Lover's Wish List

Editor's Note: In this five-part "Wish List" series, Hermosa Beach Patch columnists share their picks for the season's ultimate presents, from music to beach gear to green gifts, and much more.

It’s hard to believe that 2011 flew by so quickly. Though sales may be down, music as a whole has never been more creative, and consumers have had many buying options.

Struggling labels have gone back to their bread and butter, releasing a number of super deluxe reissues of classic albums, in addition to giving some newer releases multiple packaging options.

Though Black Friday has passed, the one thing that music listeners were treated to was another Record Store Day, which had a number of labels roll out limited edition boxed sets, singles and vinyl collections. So for the music-lover in your family, here are some of the gifts I recommend that will not only put a smile on his or her face, but will be music to the ears.

• U2 Achtung Baby Super Deluxe Edition ($149.99): Perhaps U2’s greatest album, this too received the complete reissue treatment. Unlike the Beach Boys, a lot of this material, especially the remixes of the songs on the original album and Zooropa, have been issued before. However, the artwork is incredible and the set is topped off by the Kindergarten disc, which features the songs in their original demo form, and is worth the price of the boxed set for any diehard U2 fan. There are also four DVDs including From The Sky Down, Zoo TV, all the videos from Achtung Baby plus bonus material and a book and 16 art prints.
• Beach Boys The Smile Sessions Deluxe Boxed Set ($139.99, give or take): Nothing says the South Bay like the Beach Boys and though Brian Wilson finally finished his version of the album in 2004 (which was 38 years in the making), this lost album has finally seen the light of day. Armed with five CDs (with multiple outtakes) / 2 LPs / 2 7" singles, a three-dimensional shadow box lid featuring the original artwork of Frank Holmes, a 60-page case bound book with liner notes and photos and a 24-inch-36 poster of Frank Holmes cover art, this is sure to be a great item for any fan of the Beach Boys.
• She & Him (CD, $14.98, Vinyl $18.98): Tired of listening to your grandparents’ Bing Crosby Christmas records? Well, Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward bring to you their brand of reworked holiday tunes that makes not only for a good listen, but also will impress everyone at your holiday parties. This is a terrific G-rated album that will make any music fan smile.
• Pink Floyd The Wall Singles Box ($49.98): This limited edition box was released on Black Friday Record Store Day and contains the first three singles from The Wall. It comes in a terrific box and all the singles have been remastered in anticipation of the upcoming, you guessed it, super deluxe boxed set of this album. Due to the limited number of these available, you should snap ‘em up since not only is vinyl in, but also this could be a nice relic to hang onto.
• Young the Giant Young the Giant ($9.99): This Orange County-based band’s debut album has received accolades from fans all over. This band is a great one to get behind.
• Rolling Stones Some Girls Box Set ($149.99): What holiday list would be complete without the Rolling Stones? With rumblings of a 50th anniversary tour in the works, this boxed set will give you the Stones fix you need until if/when the band announces its string of live dates. The boxed set contains the digitally remastered and expanded two CD Deluxe Edition of the album, plus a bonus DVD, 7-inch vinyl single, hardback book, a set of postcards, Helmut Newton prints, and a poster. Until a tour is announced, just like in the vein of their Exile On Main Street Box Set, combing through the outtakes and having this box will have to do for the time being.
• Gift Certificate: If your family member is a music-lover, yet you can’t pinpoint exactly what they want, you can’t go wrong with giving them a gift certificate to one of the last remaining amazing record stores. A Mecca for music lovers, this will surely put a smile on your music fan’s face.

Coming up next in the "Wish List" series: Patch environmental columnist Joe Galliani shares the top green gifts on his holiday wish list this year.