CONTENTS Battle of the Box Sets Entertainment Gadgets Gear Style Interiors Furniture Kids Books Revel in Relics Kitchen Food and Drink Body Frivolous

BY RICHARD MARTIN   The Look of Love--The Burt Bacharach Collection (Rhino) $43.49-$49.99 The John Lennon Anthology (Capitol) $53.99-$59.99 The Complete Hank Williams (Mercury Nashville) $136.99-$169.99 Miles Davis--The Complete Bitches Brew Sessions (Columbia Legacy) $65.99-$69.99 XTC--Transistor Blast (TVT) $44.99-$50.99 A three-CD, 75-song compilation of tracks written by Burt Bacharach and made famous by artists like Dionne Warwick, Herb Alpert and Gene Pitney and dozens more A 4-CD, 96-song collection of previously unreleased solo tracks from the most brilliant of the Beatles, with each disc representing a different period of his post-Fab Four career A 10-CD, 225-track monster box set with a lot of extra goodies, like a reproduction of the telegram Williams' sister received reading "COME AT ONCE HANK IS DEAD" A 4-CD, 21-track collection of recordings from Davis' landmark 1969-70 sessions for Bitches Brew, Big Fun, Circle in the Round and Live-Evil A 4-CD, 52-track collection of BBC sessions and live recordings from the legendary cult pop band Every modern pop songwriter worth his salt cites Bacharach as an influence these days; also, the subject recently collaborated on a new album with Elvis Costello. Curiously timed to coincide (and compete) with a 16-song compilation of Linda McCartney songs, Wide Prairie Hank would've been 75 last September. "Miles is alive" rumors spreading like wildfire In an alphabetically confusing transaction, TVT signed XTC earlier this year and will release two new albums in '99. All of Bacharach's most recognizable songs, from "Walk on By" to "Always Something There to Remind Me," brought together as sung by the artists who popularized them Outtakes of familiar tunes, snippets of witty dialogue between Lennon and '70s talk-show hosts, live tracks, alternate takes that should have remained unreleased 53 previously unissued songs, recordings of Hank pitching songs and playing radio sessions Nine previously unreleased tracks; all of the recordings are digitally enhanced. All songs were recorded live, providing a rawer and sometimes sparser sound from these notorious studio fusses, who stopped touring in the early 1980s. Each and every wonderful tune (except maybe "Arthur's Theme" by Christopher Cross) Nothing, though the original versions of most of these songs were already compiled on a 4-CD set about 10 years ago. 172 previously issued songs, but some are hard to find The complete Bitches Brew album, which fused jazz with psychedelic rock and virtually invented--you guessed it--fusion A few of the songs appear twice in the set in only slightly altered forms. The smoothest melodies on the planet, baby; the 92-page booklet features a foreword by Bacharach, an essay on lyricist Hal David, photos and song-by-song descriptions. Starker versions of "Working Class Hero" and "God" Hits like "Hey, Good Lookin'" and rarities like "Lost on the River" The Bitches Brew stuff; the masterfully engaging "Lonely Fire" The third CD is a raucous concert recording from 1980. Bacharach, who damn well deserves it Yoko Ono; those who weren't sated by the three recent Beatles anthologies Hardcore fans, musicologists, bible thumpers (there's a lot of gospel tracks) and the producers (who'll probably win some awards) The record label Frontman (and set compiler) Andy Partridge; avid fans with the XTC-chromosome Five Two Four Two Three WW called Music Millennium, Tower Records and Borders Books and Music to get a price range; prices are subject to change. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Willamette Week | originally published December 2, 1998