If you’re looking for the perfect gift for a music lover, ask yourself one question before you proceed. Would your gift’s receiver rather listen to “Jessie’s Girl” or “Smack My Bitch Up” alone in their bedroom? Now, take a look at our music-nerdy gift guide. You can thank us later.
(L) Nice: The Jambox looks like a clutch, but, hey, it’s a speaker! Available for $199 at Best Buy.
(R) Naughty: For those of us who’s prized Gibson Les Paul is named “Loretta” and gets waxed once a year, Rocksmith is a music game that lets you play with your real guitar. Available for $79.99 available at Best Buy.
(L) Nice: It’s always more fun to wear things that are the colour of candy, especially when they make your ears hear candy, too. Urbanears “Platton” headphones available at Urban Outfitters for $70.
(R) Naughty: Perfect for that one special friend who listens to “Careless Whisper” over and over. Gimme Tunes stiletto speakers, $29.99(USD) at Perpetual Kid.
(L) Nice: Here’s the ’70s rock critic Almost Famous should have been made about. Sensitive, provocative, brainy, populist, and awkward-sexy all at once, Ellen Willis rules. Compiled by her daughter, Out of the Vinyl Deeps: Ellen Willis on Rock Music is the best non-fiction book we’ve* read all year. Available for $24.50 at Indigo/Chapters, or at your local bookstore. *two of us, anyway
(R) Naughty: I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution looks at the golden age of those forgotten things called “full-length music videos.” Two covers available (collect them both!) on Amazon, $20.
(L) Nice: The Cat DJ Scratching Deck is a) A REAL THING, OMG and b) available from Insound for $34.99.
(R) Naughty: Everyone knows you’re only a legend when you’re immortalized as a bobblehead. We’d like to welcome D.O.A frontman and Canadian rock hero Joe ‘Shithead’ Keithley to the club. Available from Aggronautix for $19.95.
(L) Nice: You’re guaranteed to put a certain facial expression on a Beach Boys fan’s face with the Smile box set, which is available for $139.99 on Amazon, or at your local record store.
(R) Naughty: Just be thankful that the potential receiver of the 4LP MF Doom box set digs a cool masked rapper, not a lame masked nu-metal band that rhymes with “Flipsnot.” Includes a set of 10 Doomsday MC trading cards. Available for $77.99 from Insound.
(L) Nice: The angle’d corner gives this Decmberists poster a little “edge” (paper joke). Available from Telegramme for $35.00
(R) Naughty: Joy Division is, like, already pretty melancholic, but throw a skeleton in the mix and any discussion of the band becomes next-level dark. Poster by illustrator Carlos Hernandez, available for $64.00(USD) on Etsy.
(L) Nice: The Standard loved Sigur Ros’s live film, Inni, so it’s no wonder that we recommend you buy everyone on your list (even grandma!) the CD-DVD combo set. available for $26.99 on Amazon, or at your local record store.
(R) Naughty: Featuring live footage of Nirvana, Dinosaur Jr., Babes in Toyland, Sonic Youth and others, 1991: The Year Punk Broke is a must-see for anyone who has holes in their jeans. Available for $15.99 on Amazon.
(R) Nice: Playing R’n’B-inspired hip hop on vinyl is so conceptually new-fangled. Drake’s Take Care LP would make a good edition to the library of any vinyl purist. Available for $19.55 on Amazon, or at your local record store.
(L) Naughty: Odd Future spin-off The Internet lays it all on the line (get iiiiit?) with their Cocaine EP, available now, and Purple Naked Ladies, available December 20.
