Here are reviews of new box sets.
TONY BENNETT; "50 Years: The Artistry of Tony Bennett" (Columbia/Legacy) ****
Tony Bennett fans should be lined up for this one — five discs with a wide variety of great songs, recordings from 1950-2002. And, of course, his most familiar hits are included: "I Wanna Be Around," "If I Ruled the World," "I Left My Heart in San Francisco," etc. There's also a fine 74-page booklet that includes a discography and photos of Bennett with other great musical artists, from the old days to the present. — Chris Hicks
BLACK SABBATH; "Black Box: The Complete Black Sabbath, 1970-1978" (Warner Bros./Rhino) ***
The classic Black Sabbath lineup, featuring Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Terry "Geezer" Butler and Bill Ward, released nine albums. The problem was, after the first three — "Black Sabbath," "Paranoid" and "Master of Reality" — song and sound quality sank slowly into sludge. However, by remastering all the albums and adding a bonus DVD and a velvet-covered history booklet, the last six albums, even "Never Say Die," don't seem so bad. This impressive set is the complete history of the original Black Sabbath; there are no works by Ozzy replacements Ronnie James Dio, Ian Gillan, Tony Martin or Glenn Hughes. In addition to the three blockbuster albums, there are remastered copies of "Vol. 4," "Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath," "Sabotage," "Technical Ecstasy" and "Never Say Die!" While those albums do sport some gems among the coal, they were never as consistent as the first three albums. But the box set makes up for it by adding a bonus DVD, with the Sabs live at the Beat Club, circa 1972. What's more, the booklet contains lyrics, interviews and rare pictures. — Scott Iwasaki
BING CROSBY; "Swingin' With Bing! Bing Crosby's Lost Radio Performances" (Shout!) ****
Wow! These transcriptions from Bing Crosby's radio programs (1944-1953) are really quite amazing in terms of quality. While most such recordings available today are scratchy and sometimes hard to understand, the sound here is excellent, the result of painstaking restoration work. This album is also unique for its editing; each of the three discs have excerpts from several shows patched together as if it's one program, with the concentration on songs. There's some banter, and Crosby laughs or cracks jokes on certain numbers, but there are no ads or comedy skits. Bing and guests are predictably fabulous, including the Andrews Sisters, Nat King Cole, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Shore, etc. With a 40-page booklet. What a treat! — C.H.
THE CURE; "Join the Dots: B-Sides & Rarities, 1978-2001" (Elektra/Rhino) ***
B-sides — in music-fan vernacular that sounds synonymous with throwaway tunes or the songs you put up with to get to the radio hits. In the liner notes to The Cure's "Join The Dots: B-Sides & Rarities, 1978-2001," lead singer Robert Smith says he has always hoped the B-side would give him "another version" of the artist. He expects something different, but songs that are just as "good" as the A-side. These days, there's no flip side to a compact disc, so the concept of the 45 RPM, vinyl-era B-sides might be lost on the youth audience. That hasn't stopped the Cure from releasing a four-CD set with no less than 70 songs, most labeled as B-sides. That's 279.91 minutes or over four-and-a-half hours of music. Cure fans shouldn't expect too much different, which is a good thing here. The CDs are packed with all the drama and darkness you'd expect from Smith, et al. There are new, albeit lacking, twists to the familiar "Just Like Heaven" and "A Forest"; some previously unreleased material, covers of Hendrix's "Purple Haze" and Bowie's "Young Americans," and a few head-scratchers, like "Dredd Song" from the soundtrack to the 1995 Sylvester Stallone movie "Judge Dredd." Also included is a bound 75-page novella of the band's history, loaded with pictures, beginning with Smith, sans the makeup, looking 26 years younger. As for the music, B-Sides is just as good as anything DJs played nearly to death in the '80s and early '90s. Different or another version? Not really. But this box set is nonetheless a collection worthy of a little holiday wrapping paper. — Stephen Speckman
DEPECHE MODE; "Singles" (Mute/Reprise/Rhino) ***
Call it a waste of CD space or call it genius, it's still fascinating. It's the new Depeche Mode box set, "Singles." It's actually a 36-CD box set divided into six sections, containing six separate CDs. Each numbered box is purchased separately and can be stacked like black-and-gray building blocks. Each section comes with a little booklet that informs the listener of who mixed the songs and who did the CD cover art. There is no booklet that features commentary on the band, nor are there any interviews or additional information. What's more, some of the CDs only contain one or two songs, while others contain 10 or 12. But is that a bad thing? "Singles" features every song and every form of song that the band has released since it's inception in 1981. However, the songs are placed in order. "Dreaming of Me," "Ice Machine" "Get the Balance Right!" "Just Can't Get Enough," "People Are People" and "Master and Servant" and "Dream On" are sporadically placed throughout the box-set sequence. The good thing is the originals and remixes of those songs can generally be found on the same disc. "Singles" is designed for the Depeche Mode fan and collector. And the way the CDs are set up, they would be good to put in a multi-CD player and hit the "random" button and dance until the sun rises. — S.I.
FACES; "Five Guys Walk Into a Bar . . ." (Warner Bros./Rhino) ***
Before Rod Stewart swanked it around with his No. 1 disco/rock hit "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy," he did his time in a band called Faces. He had a couple of bandmates named Ron Wood, who would go on to join the Rolling Stones, and Kenny Jones, who would eventually play with the Who. Faces was a carefree, music-loving British group that knew how to craft hit singles such as "Maggie May" and all-out rockers like "Rear Wheel Skid." All the Faces' most important songs are gathered on these four CDs in this book-cover box set. It's peppered with live tracks of "Cut Across Shorty," "Miss Judy's Farm" and "(I Know) I'm Losing You," among others, and rehearsal takes of "Evil," "I Feel So Good" and "Shake, Shudder, Shiver." Studio versions of "That's all You Need," "Come See Me Baby (The Cheater)" and "Stay with Me" and unreleased tracks of "Rock Me," "Jealous Guy" and "Gettin' Hungry" are also here. Amazingly, Stewart's voice sounds the same here as it does today. — S.I.
JERRY GARCIA; "All Good Things" (J Garcia/Rhino) ****
When he wasn't fronting the Grateful Dead, Jerry Garcia was doing his own thing. He released five solo albums and played with other notable musicians, such as David Grisman, Steve Parish and Vassar Clements. This six-CD box set includes all of Garcia's solo albums and a bonus disc with "Outtakes, Jams & Alternates." "Garcia," released in 1972, shows him testing the waters and breaking away from the Dead. "Bird Song," "The Wheel" and "Sugaree" (the last two were later added to Dead set lists), "Loser and Deal" are baby steps from the Dead sound. By the time 1982's "Run for the Roses" hit the shelves, it was clear that Garcia was an act in and of himself. "Without Love," "Leave the Little Girl Alone" and "Valerie" prove that. The other three albums, "Garcia Complements," "Reflections" and "Cats Under the Star," all have that good-natured whimsical sound that Garcia developed. Along with the CDs is a 128-page booklet, featuring essays by Garcia co-writer Robert Hunter and producer Blair Jackson, documenting the time and life of a piece of music history. — S.I.
GRATEFUL DEAD; "Beyond Description: 1973-1989" (Grateful Dead Productions/Warner Bros./Rhino) ***
A year ago, Rhino Records and Warner Bros. released "The Golden Road" an 11-CD box set of the Grateful Dead's first albums, including the much sought-after "Birth of the Dead" compilation. This year, Deadheads can complete their collections with "Beyond Description," which includes 10 albums, laced with bonus tracks and two booklets that run down lineup changes and the recording process of each album. "Wake of the Flood," "From the Mars Hotel" and "Blues for Allah" wrapped up the Dead's years on Warner Bros. When "Terrapin Station" was released in 1977, the band had switched to Arista, the label the Dead stayed with until its last studio album, "Built to Last," was released in 1989. On Arista, the band released the disco-laden "Shakedown Street," the grooving "Go to Heaven," the live acoustic "Reckoning," the live electric "Dead Set," the so-called "comeback" album "In the Dark." In fact, it was the song "Touch of Grey" from "In the Dark" in 1987 that became the Dead's first Top 10 hit. "Beyond Description" is a comprehensive study and documentation of the Grateful Dead's later years. — S.I.
GEORGE JONES; "50 Years of Hits" (Bandit Records) ****
For 50 years the Ol' Possum, George Jones, has recorded soulful country music — more than 900 songs, with appearances on countless others. This three-CD set compiles his best, including his first hit "Why Baby Why," which climbed the charts in 1955. Others include "She Thinks I Still Care," "We Must Have Been Out of Our Minds" (with Melba Montgomery), "A Good Year for the Roses" (with Alan Jackson), "Take Me" (with his on-again, off-again main squeeze, the late Tammy Wynette) and "Night Life" (with the late, great Waylon Jennings). Other songs include "I Don't Need Your Rockin' Chair" and "Amazing Grace." There's a song for each year on these CDs. And the remastering has brought out the heart of Jones' voice. — S.I.
KANSAS; "Sail On: The 30th Anniversary Collection" (Epic/Legacy) ***
In 1998 Kansas released its first box set. Comprised of two CDs, that set was considered the definitive Kansas. Until now. In celebration of its 30-year anniversary, the classic-rock band has released "Sail On," and it not only features two CDs, but a DVD. While the song list is different on the CDs when compared to the last box set, there are some repeats. Of course, "Song for America," "Icarus (Borne on Wings of Steel)," "Carry on Wayward Son," "Point of Know Return," "Dust in the Wind," "Hold on" and "People of the South Wind" are in the new set as in the old. But "Lamplight Symphony," "Cheyenne Anthem," "Play the Game Tonight," "Fight Fire with Fire," "Rainmaker" and "Desperate Times" finally make their box-set debut. The DVD reaches back to the Don Kirshner "Rock Concert" TV show with "Can I Tell You," "Journey from Mariabronn," Death of Mother Nature Suite" and "Icarus." The DVD also features MTV videos for "Dust in the Wind" and "Reason to Be," among others. — S.I.
MARK SANDMAN; "Sandbox: Mark Sandman Original Music" (Kufala) ****
When Mark Sandman succumbed to a heart attack on July 3, 1999, while he and his band Morphine were playing a gig in Paris, the music world lost a great singer/songwriter and person. In his honor, Kufala Records has released "Sandbox: Mark Sandman Original Music," a two-CD set that includes experimental songs that were written and recorded throughout his career. In addition to the music, there are poetry snippets and a DVD that features rare footage of Sandman and Morphine. "Double Stripper Double Sax," "Wig," "Riley the Dog" and "Monas Sister" zero in on the singer's raspy baritone. The whimsical "Imaginary Song" and deep groove of "Justine" will have Morphine and Sandman fans reliving the rush. — S.I.
PAUL SIMON; "The Studio Recordings" (Warner Bros.) ***
After Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel went their separate ways following the 1972 album "Bridge Over Troubled Water," the two embarked on solo careers. Simon's, however, was more successful commercially and critically. Warner Bros. felt it was time to gather all nine of his solo albums, including the "One Trick Pony" soundtrack, and package them together with a load of bonus tracks for the collector and fan. The singer/songwriter's solo career — from "Paul Simon" to "You're the One" — is preserved for posterity. "There Goes Rhymin' Simon," "Still Crazy After All These Years," "One Trick Pony," "Graceland," "The Rhythm of the Saints," "Hearts and Bones," the Broadway musical soundtrack "Songs from the Capeman" and "You're the One" have been remastered. "You Can Call Me Al," "Slip Slidin' Away," "Late in the Evening," "Mother and Child Reunion," "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard," "Kodachrome," "Loves Me Like a Rock," "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover," "Late In the Evening" and "The Late Great Johnny Ace" are a few of Simon's songs that have found their way into the collective public consciousness. The only complaint is the density and pretentiousness of "Songs from the Capeman," a soundtrack of the play based on Salvador Agron, a juvenile convicted of murder in 1959 when he was 16. Then again, without this CD the collection wouldn't be complete. — S.I.
DON VAN VLIET; "Riding Some Kind of Unusual Skull Sleigh" (Rhino Handmade) ****
Don Van Vliet, known in the music world as Captain Beefheart, quit music in 1983 to become a painter. In this interesting box set, he doesn't sing or play music. Instead the CD included in the package is a spoken-word documentation of his stream of consciousness. The DVD is a remastered 1994 film "Some Yo Yo Stuff," a documentary/observation of Van Vliet directed by Anton Corbijn. More captivating are the two volumes of never-before-seen photos, reproductions of personal doodles, sketches and drawings by the artist. Art historian Ben Watson makes his observations of Van Vliet's paintings and life in the yellow volume. The green volume is Van Vliet's self-introduction, which includes stills from Corbijn's film. There are only 1,500 copies of this canvas-wrapped box set. This is for the serious collector. — S.I.
VARIOUS ARTISTS; "Doctors, Professors, Kings & Queens: The Big O' Box of New Orleans" (Shout Factory) ****
Jazz, blues, Cajun, zydeco — it all adds up to one place: New Orleans. Or in the native tongue, "N'Awlins." The Shout Factory has managed to cram decades of New Orleans music history in four CDs. Add a booklet filled with rare photos, career rundowns, essays and interviews and you have a nutshell of musical history. Artists such as Dr. John ("Iko Iko"), Fats Domino ("I'm Walkin' "), Clarence "Frogman" Henry ("Ain't Got No Home"), BeauSoleil ("Zydeco Gris Gris"), Irma Thomas ("You Can Have My Husband"), Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown ("Going Back to Louisiana"), Al Johnson ("Carnival Time"), Henry Butler ("Tee-Nah-Nah") and Professor Longhair ("Tipitina") are given kudos for their role in the ever-developing sound of Louisiana. Galactic ("Go Go"), Clifton Chenier ("Jambalaya"), Buckwheat Zydeco ("Hot Tamale Baby") and Zachary Richard ("Au Bord de Lac Bijou") are also highlighted. And it would be a crime to forget Louis Armstrong ("Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans?" and "Potato Head Blues") and the Radiators ("Confidential"). — S.I.
VARIOUS ARTISTS; "Get Down Tonight: The Disco Explosion" (Shout Factory) ***
Disco never went away. It's now called dance music. But in the late '70s, disco was king, even though die-hard rockers held album-burning gatherings. This is for those who loved to get down with "The Hustle" and other flashy line dances. This three-CD box set allows young and old to shake their thing to Donna Summer's "Hot Stuff," the Village People's "Y.M.C.A.," Amii Stewart's "Knock on Wood," Lipps Inc.'s "Funkytown," Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" and Patrick Hernandez's "Born to Be Alive." Also Taste of Honey's "Boogie Oogie Oogie," Walter Murphy's "A Fifth of Beethoven," Alicia Bridges' "I Love the Nightlife (Disco 'Round)" and Andy Gibb's "I Just Want to Be Your Everything." — S.I.
VARIOUS ARTISTS; "Left of the Dial: Dispatches from the '80s Underground" (Rhino) ****
When Haircut 100, ABC and the Bangles were enjoying Top 40 success, there was an undercurrent of punk, rock-a-billy and darker sounding new wave that was running just below the surface. "Left of the Dial" brings these artists and songs to the surface in a comprehensive four-CD box set. R.E.M.'s "Radio Free Europe" and the Jam's "Going Undergound" set the mood for this musical trip into the catacombs of '80s music. The Dead Kennedys' "Holiday in Cambodia" and Black Flag's "Rise Above" show the bands in happier days. The Pretenders' "Message of Love" and Ultravox's "Vienna" revisit the time when MTV was all about the music. The Feelies "Fa Ce-La" and the Pixies' "Monkey Gone to Heaven" complement Bauhaus' "Bela Lugosi's Dead" and the Bauhaus offshoot band Love and Rockets' "Kundalini Express." Billy Bragg's pre-Wilco hit "A New England" and Jane's Addiction's "Jane Says" are edgy and poppy, just like XTC's "Senses Working Overtime." Included is a 64-page booklet that gives a rundown of the times and tunes of this underground era. — S.I.
VARIOUS ARTISTS; "Straight from the Heart: Timeless Music from the '60s and '70s" (Shout Factory) ***
Say what you will about the AM radio hits of the '60s and '70s — they might have been kitschy at times, but there were also easy-listening tunes that sparked the imagination of the young and helped adults learn how to sing in the car. This three-CD archive contains some of the more popular songs of that ear, some which will never be heard again on the radio thanks to the nature of radio today. Tony Orlando and Dawn's "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree," Mac Davis' "Baby Don't Get Hooked on Me," Paul Anka's "Time of Your Life" and Leo Sayer's "When I Need You" were everywhere during the transition from hippie-rock to disco to glam-rock. Ozark Mountain Daredevils' "Jackie Blue," Glen Campbell's "Wichita Lineman," J.D. Souther's "You're Only Lonely" and Dionne Warwick's "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" might not be as timeless as this set would like you to think, but hearing all these songs together sure provides nostalgia. Bell-bottoms and sideburns aside, this set is perfect for those who love "That '70s Show." — S.I.