Blondie "Panic Of Girls" Limited Edition Fan Pack (2011)

Eschewing the (now nearly defunct) usual sales model for the initial rollout of their new CD, 

Blondie has made Panic Of Girls available as a UK import "fan pack" before it hits stores in the USA.  

This set includes the album (with bonus tracks not available on the vinyl or standard CD release), 

six pinback buttons, reprints of four of Chris Stein's vintage Blondie photos as souvenir postcards 

and an all new "as told by the band" glossy magazine-format book on the history (and present) of Blondie.

  This is yet ANOTHER prime example of how an established band (who are creative, 

media-savvy and aware of their particular tier of the pop culture heirarchy) can serve the fans... 

By mining the archives and revisiting pieces of their legacy to offer interested die-hards 

a rare, completist goodie chest filled with copious amounts of swag to complement their new music. 

Vinyl Therapy: Radiohead "King Of Limbs" (2011)

Extremely adept at reaching all levels of their fan spectrum (from the casual fan to the rabid completist)  Radiohead have once again presented their newest album in several formats.  They've offered everything from quick and easy digital downloads of "King Of Limbs" to traditional CD packaging to this... The super-deluxe "Newspaper Edition" of the album.  Radiohead have (once again) seen fit to present several versions of a release so that each listener can choose the level at which they wish to engage with the recorded material.  They've taken the best parts of the 1970s and '80s "deluxe double album" model with a nod to the digital immediacy and versatility that a music fan in 2011 demands.

Vinyl Therapy: Bjork "Voltaic" Limited Edition Box Set (2009)

Having seen one of the NYC shows on this tour with my pals Billy and Kelly, I can tell you that the contents of this package fully capture the energy of Bjork, her musicians and the very specific, completely unparalleled universe of live music theatre they create.  Whether or not you "buy her brand" in terms of performance dynamics, there is no denying Bjork's ability to engage both the ardent admirer and the casual observer with her antics.  There is also no denying her ability to innovate when looking for ways to present her recorded work... In other words, THIS is how a live album package is done: 2 LPs, 2 DVDs, 2 CDs and a very unique package layout for the listener/viewer to interact with.

Pink Vinyl > The Go Go's Re-Issued

Awesome surprise gift from my pal Steve...

30th Anniversary pink vinyl re-issue of The Go-Go's classic "Beauty And The Beat".