Deutsche Harmonia Mundi 50th Anniversary Box

Advantages: Classic tracks, diverse, some great versions.
Disadvantages: Not everyone's cup of tea

...Joe Brown and the Bruvvers were around in the early to mid sixties. They were not really my sort of thing but Hubby, being slightly older than me, was a fan. Shopping recently he saw a CD, The Very Best of Joe Brown, 50th Anniversary and promptly bought it. This CD shows me, anyway, that many of the tracks were from a slightly earlier period than I had thought. After all 50 years ago it would have been 1958. Joe Brown was a spiky haired youth before spiky hair was ever thought about. He was always seen as an affable cheeky cockney, who looks and seems no different all these years later. Born in 1941 he began his musical career in 1956 with his backing band The Spacemen. This band was to become The Bruvvers. I guess as musicians Joe Brown and The Bruvvers were all under-rated. They just seemed to miss-time things and were... Read review

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Advantages: sooooo much music
Disadvantages: you will be able to find something you dont like

...Box Set- all the singles [up to No Distance Left To Run] Blur (1999 Food) 22 singles and who knows how many hours of music that navigates us through the erratic trajectory of one of the best bands ever. There is a lot here: on quite a few of the early singles there are 9 B-sides! If those were released they would qualify as albums. However teacher’s warning is applicable: quality not quantity. Graham Coxon (guitarist) admitted that early on blur did pretty much release everything “Which wasn’t maybe wasn’t a great idea.” But some of the B-sides that aren’t that great musically seem to tell the blur story very well. For example the B-side ‘Daisy Daisy’, is not a great song, but epitomises their period that was taken up by their attempt to try to make people realise that there was some good music being made in England and maybe all... Read review

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Advantages: Sheer number of tracks for the money
Disadvantages: An expensive set (but worth it!)

...Blur-tastic! A must-have for a Blur-a-holic like myself albeit an expensive must-have at that. It took me a good year before I had the spare cash to spend on this delightful box set and then only thanks to a generous birthday/Xmas cash gift. This tenth Anniversary Box Set is a delight – 22 CD singles charting Blur’s musical history contains 127, yes, 127 tracks in total – all in original picture covers with an accompanying glossy, colour picture booklet. I think originally the set was available in different packages but mine came housed in a sturdy, black canvas zip up bag sporting the blur logo. I paid £99.99 (gasp!) but I have heard that some places have sold it for around £80. Either way, considering the contents and potential collectability of the set I didn’t mind paying that as a fanatic. Apparently... Read review

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