Like most dirtbags, you haven't gotten gifts yet. Fear not, I have your complete buying guide for those hard to please relatives that are "So hard to shop for". So tonight or tomorrow, walk into your local record store and I am certain they will have at least 10% of these titles. I like gifting music that is new and exciting for those receiving it. I'm sure your mom would love the Best of (insert 70's rock band here), but that lacks thought and discovering new music is always better than a digitally remastered singles box set of 18 songs you already know all the words to.
Since you're reading this blog, I assume you have good taste in music and you can use these at your own discretion. Otherwise, welcome to the blog and you should buy all of these albums for yourself.
Mom
There are a few types of moms out there. The ones who grew up listening to Zeppelin, Floyd, and Cream (and may have gotten backstage at one of their shows and subsequently made you). The mom who ripped a few bongloads and listened to Donovan and Jefferson Airplane. There's Soft Rock mom. Then the mom who was into Disco. Then there is the musically devoid mother. While the last two are pretty much the same, the taste among the first three are vast, but most of these albums can encompass all of the above.
The Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely
Masters of Reality - Sunrise on the Sufferbus
Mark Lanegan - Bubblegum
Beck - Sea Change
Black Mountain - Wilderness Heart
The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
Ween - White Pepper
A short list of generally unoffensive music for mom. A lot of mellow low key stuff in there, everything for Beatles-esque acoustic laid back ballads to some psych rock thumpers.
Dad
Dad needs something that he rock out to. Classic rock radio sucks so hard that NPR has become a viable option for something to listen to while driving around. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but NPR doesn't have balls. Your Dad has balls. Whether his rock and roll was "Balls out", "Balls to the Wall", or "Free Balls", you won't go wrong with my selection for pops.
Wolfmother - Wolfmother (I suggest getting the Australian Import, the tracklist flows a lot better than the U.S. version)
Them Crooked Vultures - Them Crooked Vultures
Earthless - Live at Roadburn
Fatso Jetson - Cruel and Delicious
Hater - Hater
Ween - Quebec
Assuming that your Dad isn't a pussy, he'll be sure to like on of these fine selections. From solid riff rock to extended jams and some garage, giving him one of these albums will surprise and delight him.
Hipster Relative
Trevor knows all about music, what can you possibly get him? Just this past week he picked up all the rare picture disc pressings of the new No Age record and has Joanna Newsom's triple disc on a loop... somehow. But guess what? He might be into Animal Collective and think that's as trippy as it gets and there's nothing more underground than being the first person to blog about the Sleigh Bells demo, but guess what? There is more underground than underground, there's the core of the earth.
earthlings? - earthlings?
Goon Moon - Licker's Last Leg
Gorillaz - D-Sides (a B-side album which is better than all of their normal releases)
Brad Laner - Neighbor's Singing
Wellwater Conspiracy - Brotherhood of Electric: Operational Directives
Ween - Chocolate and Cheese
Show him that there's more to music than Pitchfork. Any one of those will hopefully make him see that there is a wide range of underground, independent music out there that doesn't need the acceptance of the blogosphere to be considered good.
Cool Uncle
This dude knows what's up and is open to some far out stuff. Is he into metal? Give him something that hasn't gone through the corporate meat grinder of focus groups and old guys trying to figure out what will sell. Give him something that isn't being blasted on the local loud rock station. Give him something that isn't boring.
The Atomic Bitchwax - II
Egypt - Egypt
Colour Haze - Tempel
Gallery of Mites - Bugs on a Bluefish
Eagles of Death Metal - Death By Sexy
Kyuss - Welcome to Sky Valley
Ween - La Cucaracha
Any one of these great rock albums will have him thanking you well into the new year.
Treat yourself to something new and fresh. Since you read this blog and listen to the show, you're probably familiar with most, if not all, of the artists I suggested for your family. But now it's time to indulge and you want to check out some other cool music from bands you may not have heard of. Well you're in luck, the radio station It Came from the Desert is on is an all alternative leader in college radio. After spending 3 years there, I have been indoctrinated by music directors to absolutely love some stuff that's out there. Open up to some new tunes guys, it's not that bad.
Caribou - The Milk of Human Kindness & Andorra
My Bloody Valentine - Loveless
Wye Oak - The Knot
Sleigh Bells - Treats
Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest
Gary Wilson - You Think You Really Know Me?
Ween - The Mollusk
There you have it. If there's anything you got from this is, it's that everyone needs some Ween. Happy Holidays!
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