All the Pretty Things: The 2015 Holiday Gift Guide
From vinyl to heart-shaped necklaces printed with Drake lyrics, there’s undoubtedly something here for any music lover in your life.
New Vinyl
Rough Trade NYC: 64 N. 9th Street, Williamsburg
Is this a broad recommendation? Why, yes! Yes it is. But also, it’s a good one because it’s an opportunity for you to check out what’s good at a real, honest-to-goodness brick-and-mortar record store and get personalized recommendations. Highly suggested clockwise from top left: Sun City Girls Torch of the Mystics reissue, Wolf Eyes I Am A Problem: Mind in Pieces, Uniform Perfect World, and Beech Creeps Beech Creeps .
Vintage Vinyl
Academy Record Annex: 85 Oak Street, Greenpoint
Head over to Greenpoint to pick up a variety of vintage records. If you want to get a trio with a New York angle, may we recommend Patti Smith’s Horses, Debbie Harry’s Koo Koo, and Talking Heads’ Talking Heads: 77.
Terz Amplifier
critterandguitari.com $250
This portable little amp was created specifically for Third Man Records and its diminutive stature belies its excellent sound. Suitable for use with guitar, synthesizer, voice, radio, or records, it’s a nifty little piece that packs an auditory wallop.
10’ Pig Hog Cable
maindragmusic.com $20
Doesn’t it suck when you can’t find a cable when you really need it? Yes! This one is bright blue and thus hard to misplace.
I’ll Never Write My Memoirs by Grace Jones
BookCourt.com $27
Grace Jones has lived a life. Read all about it in her memoir and marvel at the fact that someone like her breathes the same air we all do. “Goddess” is definitely not too strong a word.
<3 Heartbeats Necklace
ericaweiner.com $65
Uh, who wouldn’t want Drake lyrics on a heart that can be worn close to your heart? Nobody. Nobody wouldn’t want those.
Korg Clip on Mic
maindragmusic.com $15
This ultra-practical gift might not seem like the most fun thing ever, but sometimes the gift of utility is the greatest gift of all.
Crosley Portable Record Player
urbanoutfitters.com $98
You don’t need to spend a lot of money anymore to get a perfectly decent record-player. And this version has this awesome flower-printed case. We kind of couldn’t love it more if we tried.
DeVore Orangutan Speakers
devorefidelity.com $12,000 pair
These beauties are cultishly beloved by all who’ve heard sound come from within them, and so while, yes, the price is high, these are a splurge that will be adored by the recipient forever. If you want to spend a little less, DeVore also has smaller speakers, the Gibbon 3XL, which retail for $3700 a pair.
Loopy Lou Recorder from BrandNewNoise
brandnewnoise.com $76
BrandNewNoise describes this recorder as being perfect for your “design-savvy friend who has almost everything,” a “3.5-year-old whose first word was ‘awesomeness,'” or anyone who needs a “sound studio ‘secret weapon.'” We concur.
The Rap Yearbook: Deconstructed
by Shea Serrano $12
Serrano dives deep here, going back to 1979 and the origins of rap, exploring the East Coast-West Coast divide, and debating the most important rap songs over the last few decades in a must-read book for any hip-hop aficionado.
Don’t Suck, Don’t Die: Vic Chesnutt
by Kristin Hersh
$15
Hersh is a great writer (if you want to add her memoir Rat Girl onto your gift list for yourself, we’d recommend it), and she does an amazing job here, recounting the troubled, yet glorious life of singer-songwriter Vic Chesnutt.
Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl
by Carrie Brownstein
$17
Brownstein is not just an acclaimed musician (Sleater-Kinney) and actress (Portlandia), she’s also one hell of a writer. This book should be at the very top of any music lover’s reading list.
Blue Cymbal Bag 24″ Vaya Bags
maindragmusic.com $195
Dating a drummer? Good for you. They tend to be totally crazy but also really hot. Treat them as nicely as they’d better be treating you with this retro-looking but totally modern and waterproof cymbals carrying case.
