Cocktails LP's The Art of Rock by Paul Grushkin, an exhaustive, encyclopedic history of concert posters and other relevant artwork, is a visual feast -- lively, color-drenched and covering the musical eras "from Presley into punk." It comprises over 1500 examples and features commentary from artists, musicians and other rock notables. It encircles images connected with lots of rock's icons as well as original art in an assortment of distinct styles from early-rock letterpress bills to San Francisco's psychedelic scene to the minimalist aesthetic of New York punk and new wave. Featured artists include Stanley Mouse, Alton Kelly and Rick Griffin. $41.53; Barnes & Noble
Rock's Bold Visions Eilon Paz's coffee-table sized publication Dust and Grooves: Adventures in Record Collecting, is a comprehensive research, and a party, of the area of vinyl obsession. Lavishly illustrated with photo essays set in the 'listing rooms' of some 130 hyper-avid collectors, it's a fascinating and insightful journey into the mind and motivations a number of music's most fervent enthusiasts. Available in various editions ranging from $49 to $120; Dust & Grooves
When Collecting Becomes Religion (or alcoholism) Those who hope to (or long to return to) the pleasing experience of dropping a needle onto a record, and taking in that rich, warm sound of analog sound, might feel a bit lost when shopping for a new turntable. Pro-Ject Audio Systems provides a solution in the form of its 'Essential' and 'Debut' lines, putting quality analog hi-fi within reach. These sound, entry-level elements have gained a solid reputation among audiophiles and positive reviews as a worthy entrance point into high-end audio. Prices begin at $299; accessible from Audio Advisor and other sockets
Analog Audio for the Masses After John, Paul, George and Ringo recorded the bulk of their catalogue, electronic recording had not been dreamed of and "stereo sound" was still considered something of a novelty. Their records, up till 1968, were recorded and mixed in mono. That format was the standard at the moment, and each the technological energies poured into manufacturing were within that sonic context. Ergo, the original mono master tapes are arguably the most authoritative record representing the lion's share of the Beatles' studio output. But for years, you'd be hard pressed to hear those records. They were supplanted by multiple generations of re-releases, remasters, remixes and electronic transfers. Now that has changed. The Beatles in Mono is a 14-LP boxed set which lets you listen to The Beatles' albums precisely since they were heard. The collection contains all of the records from Please via The White Album -- cut from the first 1/4-inch master tapes and pressed high-quality vinyl. Also contained are the 3-LP compilation of extras, including Mono Experts, and also a 12"x12" hardbound book with rare photos and archival documents. Absoutely no electronic dominating is in evidence any place in the lineage of the new and historically true pressings. Production work was done at Abbey Road Studios in which most of the Beatles' albums were originally recorded. $329.99; MusicDirect (a CD version can also be available for $199)
The Beatles for Purists An iconic musical figure whose catalogue has, in recent years, been largely inaccessible on vinyl is David Bowie, among rock's truly great innovators. That notable vacuum is in the process of being stuffed thanks to a run of high profile reissues. Who Can I Be Today? Is the next in a series of career-spanning boxed-set collections (the first group was Five Years: 1969-1973) providing the artist's album catalogue, meticulously curated and remastered on high-quality 180-gram vinyl. This 13-LP set represents Bowie's output signal from 1974 through 1976 and includes classic studio records Diamond Dogs, Young Americans and Station to Station, in addition to the David Live double LP, a previously unreleased live recording from 1976 branded The Gouster, a collection of obscure singles and b-sides and an accompanying hardcover book. Several of the LPs are represented within their first mix in addition to another remix version. Mastering with this new pair was controlled by long-time Bowie collaborator and producer Tony Visconti. $249.99; MusicDirect (a CD variant is also available for $149.99)
The Return of the Thin White Duke Nick Hornsby's first publication High Fidelity follows Rob Fleming -- the owner of a London record shop that caters to some specially dedicated niche acquaintances -- as he attempts to recover from a romantic split and can be drawn to an existential examination of past relationships. Among other things. It's a smart, funny, incisive narrative -- seen through a lens looking out onto a world filled with esoteric musical understanding, obscure pop culture references and sharp repartee. You've probably seen the movie version with John Cusack, with the story transplanted to Chicago. The book is worth looking into as well, and is likely to ring true to music devotees, especially those with a strong connection to that time when "indie" and "underground" music has been defining itself. $10 (paperback); Barnes & Noble
Bowie in Berlin and Beyond For a lot of people, The Smiths were flat-out the most important rock band ever. Though their trajectory as a group endured just five decades and four studio albums, their rich and crafted music spoke to crowds and addressed subject matter in a way that hadn't been attempted in popular music. Where the Beatles, the Stones and Dylan defined one formative age of music, it may be argued the Smiths -- using their jangly, ringing guitars and whip-smart, poetic and feindishly off-center lyrics -- described another. Part of a huge music directed squarely at outsiders, The Smiths were removed from the 80s-era material women, princes of pop and flocks of seagulls -- and instead occupied rarified air populated by the likes of Joy Division, New Order, The Cure and Echo & the Bunnymen on a single side of this pond, also R.E.M. and (earlier) The Velvet Underground on another side. One UK critic called them "the sole truly vital voice of the '80s", along with a 2002 poll in Britain's New Music Express rated them as "the most influential artist ever", outranking even The Beatles. We are going to leave that argument on the dining table, but let us just say they left a resounding impact, and any seriously thinking individual could be hard pressed to listen to their music without being effected on multiple levels. The 1986 album that most consider their creative pinnacle, The Queen Is Dead, has been given the expansive re-release therapy, expanding it from a single LP to five, adding to the remastered original record lots of alternative takes, b-sides, obscura and also a live recording from a 1986 performance in Boston. There's also a 2 CD version and also a 3CD DVD edition. Five-LP vinyl version: $90. Accessible from Amazon.
A Novel of Life, Love and Musical Obsession Sony has resurrected its iconic Walkman at the form of the new Sony Walkman NW-ZX2 -- a high resolution mobile player that supports, not just the now ubiquitous MP3, but fuller sounding formats such as WAV (the format used for CD's), FLAC, Apple Lossless and super high-definition 24-bit files. It's by no means cheap, but if you truly serious about sound, it is well worth a look. $1,199; Sony
Zenith of Cool The paper inner sleeves which came inside most albums for years come with some distinct disadvantages. Chiefly, they could cause 'paper scrapes' to the vinyl LP surface, leading surface sound during playback and damage to the record itself as well as the playback stylus. They are also able to create static charge since the vinyl disc is removed, leading to dust particles being drawn to the grooved surface and inviting additional damage. Ordinary paper also produces acidic residue as it deteriorates over time. None of that is ideal for long-term preservation. Audiophile recording company Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab provides a great solution at a modest price. Their Original Master Sleeves would be the same protective, anti-static sleeves that they use in packaging their high-end audiophile pressings. They're regarded as the standard among serious collectors for security and archival storage of precious vinyl. $20 (pack of 50); MusicDirect
The Boys With the Thorns in Their Sides Declan Patrick McManus, aka Elvis Costello, crashed headfirst onto the music scene in 1977, smack in the middle of the punk and new wave explosion, with his defining record, My Aim Is True. Since then he's proved to be one of popular music's most prolific songwriters and performers. Pegged early on (somewhat undeservedly) as an angry young man, Elvis has ultimately proved to be one of the stone's very charming, articulate and collaborative emissaries. The memoir Unfaithful Music and Disappearing Ink was written entirely by Costello and supplies a direct and very clear look inside the mind and life of a genuinely intriguing artist. $20.40 (hardcover); Amazon
Digital Portable Player on Steroids The importance of John Coltrane's landmark album, A Love Supreme, can scarcely be overstated. The 50th anniversary of this landmark 1965 recording known for something particular, and that came in the form of Verve Music Group's A Love Supreme: The Complete Masters (Super Deluxe Edition). Over three disks we hear the original record as performed by Coltrane's classic quartet (Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones and Jimmy Garrison) as well as previously unreleased recordings that provide insight into development of this package and also a live recording of this substance made later in the year of their original release. $33.98 (CD); Amazon
Archival Pampering It is not a new notion that album covers are themselves frequently works of art, and the 12"x12" format lends itself to visual display as wall art. A number of companies offer simple black frames which will allow you to create a visually arresting gallery wall using your favorite albums. Available from a number of sellers such as IKEA and Michael's. Pro-Ject Audio offers the Play & Display system that allows albums to be easily removed from the framework for for playing. $149; Audio Advisor
His Aim Is True Irrespective of whether you're a avid Amy Winehouse enthusiast or only casually acquainted with the troubled artist's songs, career and controversies, this provocative biographical documentary, originally titled Amy: The Girl Behind the Name, probably contains things that will take you by surprise. In the unsettling details of her family life and public broadcasts to the endearing shyness and humility she exhibits when documenting the duet "Body and Spirit" with Tony Bennett, Asif Kapadia's searing movie leaves one with the knowledge that there was a lot longer to Amy than the tabloid character. $12.89 (Blu-ray), $9.04 (DVD); Amazon
Traditional Essential Audio geeks and tweakers understand that vibration from the context of sound components is seldom a good thing. Negative vibration may degrade the performance of audio and video elements in a variety of ways. There are many gadgets and devices out there for dealing with this, in a surprising range of prices. Among the less expensive ones is your Vibrapod system. Praised and positively reviewed, Vibrapod isolation ft and cones can be set under speakers, turntables, CD players and other elements to minimize vibration and improve audio definition, bass response, sonic imaging and soundstage. $24 (set of four); Audio Advisor
The Jazz Album, Expanded Many audiophiles feel that the most crucial element in the chain of equipment comprising a sound system is that the speakers. When it comes to components, deciding on speakers is probably the most important decision you'll make. If money is no object, consider a set of Whisper XDS out of Legacy. Every speaker stands 63 inches high and contains 11 drivers including four 15" carbon-composite subwoofers, four 7" silver-graphite midwoofers and dual air-motion tweeters. They could withstand amplification up to 600 watts, but each contains an on-board 500-watt amplifier. Each one weighs 332 pounds. The Whispers are available in a variety of wood finishes which have rosewood, cabernet sapele pommele, birdseye maple and olive ash burl. The price depends on what finish you select but benefit from how the Whisper has been favorably compared to speakers costing $75,000 to $100,000! $25,000; Legacy
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