Vinyl sales continued to rise in 2009 as the format enjoys a renaissance of sorts in the latter half of the decade. There are always loads of great vinyl ideas floating around, and now that big retailers are in the vinyl game, the choices and prices are more and more interesting and competitive. If you have a vinyl enthusiast on your list this year, here are some special vinyl packages they might like, along with some must have accessories.

Tom Waits – Orphans Vinyl Box Set – With seven LPs of 180 gram vinyl, six previously unreleased songs, a 32-page book featuring lyrics and insight, and a beautiful hardbound box, the collection captures the full scope of Tom Waits’ shamanic powers as a vocalist, literary lyricist, romantic melodist, innovative arranger and pioneer of sonic worlds. The set, which took over three years to compile and record, is grouped by genre with songs guaranteed to move and shake the heart, the body, the mind and most unquestionably the soul. Each of the albums separately arranged and subtitled – “Brawlers,” “Bawlers” and “Bastards” to encapsulate the full range of Waits’ nomadic scope of musical styles.

Beck – The Information Vinyl Box Set – This release contains all 24 tracks from the deluxe CD version of the information on 4 – 12″ 180 gram virgin vinyl records, and 1 – 10″ 140 gram virgin vinyl record (5 LP’s total).

RJD2 Vinyl Box Set 2002-2010 – Vinyl versions of ”Dead Ringer” LP, ”The Horror EP” (first time on vinyl!) ”Since We Last Spoke” LP, and the exclusive ”Tin Foil Hat” EP. (7 unreleased RJD2 songs spanning the eras of the first 3 RJD2 releases!) Hand silk screen RJD2 poster, signed and numbered by the dude himself.

Pavement – Brighten The Corners 4 LP Deluxe Box – This four-LP vinyl box set includes eight extra tracks not on the CD, five of which are previously unreleased, plus one great unreleased song. Also includes material from the CD version: the remastered original twelve song album, ten non-album B-sides, ten outtakes, and fourteen live radio session tracks. Super deluxe M-Pak accordion style box set, 16-page, 12″ x 12″ full color booklet, MP3 coupon, and huge essay by New Yorker critic Alex Ross.

Old 97’s – Wreck Your Life…And Then Some – The Complete Bloodshot Recordings – Limited Edition Double LP in a snazzy gate fold jacket.Wreck Your Life, originally released in 1995, documented a band hitting its stride, the confidence growing as quickly as the crowds. Roots-Rock-Scares come and go, but the kind of energy, lyrical talent and inventive alchemical acumen that Wreck Your Life has in spades never falls from favor.Includes the full length Wreck Your Life (never before available on vinyl), 7′ singles and compilation tracks.Comes with a complete mp3 download card.A special release in conjunction with our 15th anniversary celebrations.

Arctic Monkeys – Live At Apollo Box LP & DVD – Exclusive live album recorded in Texas in 2006 is pressed on deluxe 180 gram vinyl. Also included is the Arctic Monkeys at The Apollo DVD, original theatrical film poster and a set of 4 band portrait postcard prints by acclaimed artist Pete McKee.

The Rolling Stones – Get Your Ya Yas Out – 40th Anniversary Super Deluxe Box Set – Features three 180 gram audiophile quality vinyl LPs (one side of which features an etched replica of the album’s key art, with signatures from Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman and Mick Taylor), 3 CDs that mirror the exact content on the LPs, 1 DVD, a 12 X 12/56-page Collector’s Book and a 12 X 12 replica of the original 1969 poster by Grammy Award winning artist David Edward Byrd, whose works include the commemorative poster from the original Woodstock Festival and the historic Fillmore East posters from 1968 to 1971.

John Vanderslice Reissues – Pixel Revolt, Cellar Door, Time Travel Is Lonely, & Life and Death Of An American Fourtracker have all been reissued on high quality 180 gram vinyl. These items have been out of print for years. Fourtracker and Pixel Revolt have bonus tracks, Pixel is a double 45rpm gatefold. Afternoon has a reissue package that includes all four records for $70. Includes original artwork and comes with mp3 download code.

Tis’ the season for holiday shopping and if you have a music enthusiast on your list, or if you just need somewhere to direct your friends and family who have no idea what you might want this year, you have come to the right place. Here is another stab at some Christmas gift ideas as the shopping days quickly disappear.

Today, we take a dive headfirst into some of the best of the best re-issues & box sets hitting store shelves right now. Some of these items are obviously expensive, and others are more affordable, have a look below at some of our recommendations.

The Beatles Stereo or Mono Box Sets –
Recently, the entire Beatles back catalouge was re-issued and re-mastered. This collection is not only huge and epic in nature, but it is also a really excellent re-master that Beatles fans will appreciate.
Includes – DVD of all 13 mini-documentaries – All 13 Studio remasters plus Past Masters – CDs packaged in three panel digi-pak with digital mini documentaries – CDs packaged as mini LP replicas (Mono Box)

Best Price – 175$ for the Stereo version n Amazon, Compare Prices Here. – 229$ for the Mono version on Amazon. Compare Prices Here.

Def Jam Recordings 25th Anniversary – It’s a historical landmark year for a historical label that helped launch the careers of LL Cool J, Beastie Boys, EPMD & Public Enemy among others. This anniversary box set throws them all into one nice package.

Includes – 5 CD’s featuring all of your Def Jam favorites – A Def Jam Addidas T-Shirt – A Def Jam 25 Mini Record Crate holding the CD’s.

Best Price – 42$ on Buy.com. Compare Prices Here.

Pixies – Minotaur Deluxe Edition – You may remember us giving a nice Pixies gift away earlier this year here, well for the hundreds that entered and did not win, it might be time to pony up for this box. A must have for the Pixies completist.

Includes – 5-CD + 6-Blu-ray + 6-DVD + 54 Page Book set – All artwork curated by legendary graphic designer Vaughan Oliver with photographer Simon Larbalestier.

Best Price – AINR Website. Compare Prices Here.

Of course, if you have 650 clams, you can up the anti and get the Limited Signed Edition.

Kraftwerk – The Catalouge – While you can win some of these items right now from us, if you don’t happen to be the lucky one, and you are a Kraftwerk fan, you gotta snag this. After all, it is the first ever re-mastering of all of Kraftwerks albums.

Includes - All 8 Kraftwerk albums exclusively created just for this box set in mini-LP style album packaging – Newly expanded artwork in the form of 8 large format 12 to 20 page booklets.

Best Price – 112$ on Juno Records Website – Compare Prices Here

Big Star – Keep An Eye On The Sky Box Set – This set contains 98 songs from the quintessential American power pop band. The collection uncovers a trove of unreleased demos, unused mixes, alternate versions of songs, and a 1973 concert recorded in Memphis.

Includes – 4 discs and 98 songs – A hardcover book with lots of photographs of the band through the years.

Best Price – 49$ At The Rhino Store
– Compare Prices Here

Nirvana – Live At Reading & Bleach Re-Issue – Nirvana’s historic 1992 Reading Festival appearance returns on a special CD & DVD companion set. The concert is one of the most bootlegged concerts in the annals of rock n’ roll and now an official copy is available.

Pair it with the recently re-issued version of the bands debut album Bleach (a deluxe edition with loads of goodies) and you have quite a gift for yourself or someone else.

Includes – Bleach is totally re-mastered and includes a live performance at Pine Street Theatre as well – Live At Reading is not only official audio of the performance, but a DVD with video as well.

Best Price – 25$ & 11$ on Amazon

Remember last year when we recommended great music, dvd’s and books for the modern rock fan on your Christmas list? Well, we are back, and this time it’s all about the wax. Yes, these are some items on vinyl that we think you might get to complete your shopping, or maybe just for yourself.

The Smiths Singles Box Set - This gem is a clamshell card box containing the first ten UK-issued singles in their original picture sleeves. Two singles in this box are exclusive to this box set. An amazing gift for any fan of The Smiths. The only catch is that it’s an import and will cost you here in the states.

From The Capitol Vaults Limited Re-Issues – Capitol Records is getting caught up in the recent vinyl resurgence with re-issues of albums that have been out of print in several cases. In addition to all of the Radiohead Capitol albums being re-issued, you can also grab Coldplay’s debut album, The Verve’s Urban Hymns and lots of older stuff as well from John Lennon, The Beach Boys and lots more.

Beck -Odelay 10th Anniversary Vinyl Box Set – 4LPs – It’s the 10th Anniversary of Beck’s incredible album Odelay, and this 4xLP set celebrates the record with a numbered, limited edition release of only 3,000 copies. Includes high quality full-color booklet and of course is 180 gram pressed.

The Decemberists Always A Bridesmaid Single Series – This fall and winter saw Colin Meloy and the gang release 3 12″ LP singles called the Always A Bridesmaid Series. As of right now, you can’t buy them all together, but can purchase all three separately. Remember these were digital and vinyl only!

The Flaming Lips – Christmas On Mars – This bundle of holiday cheer not only includes a regular weight green-vinyl disc in a single-pocket jacket but also gives you the DVD of the feature film plus a white vinyl 7″ single, “Silent Night/Lord Can You Hear Me” b/w “It’s Christmas Time.”

Sigur Ros Vinyl – Are you a collector of all things Sigur Ros? Well then you probably need to add Von, their debut record to your vinyl collection. This one is on 200 gram wax and is a limited release. In addition, this years Sigur Ros album, Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum End, is finally available on vinyl as well.

Belle & Sebastian – BBC Sessions - This double gatefold LP features 14 tracks recorded for the BBC between 1996 and 2001. It should be noted that several of these songs sound very different than the album versions and is a very cool item.

Nada Surf – Vinyl Box Set – This box set has it all if you are a Nada Surf fan. You get all of the bands LPs including their Elektra Records debut high/low (available on vinyl exclusively in this box set). You also get a 24-page full-color 12″x12″ booklet which includes lyrics for all of the LPs, exclusive photos and tour poster reproductions. This box set is limited to 1000 only and has already sold out on Barsuk. But you can still grab it here.

Got some special vinyl goodies on your wish list? Share in the comments….

Have a peek at some of the new releases we like that hit your local indie store shelf this week…….

De Novo Dahl – Move Every Muscle, Make Every Sound (buy from lala.com)

The Raconteurs – Consolers Of The Lonely

Plants & Animals – Parc Avenue (buy from lala.com)

Under Byen – Siamesisk

Morrissey – Greatest Hits (buy from lala.com)

The Heavy – Great Vengeance and Furious Fire

Devotchka – A Mad & Faithful Telling (buy from lala.com)

Destroyer – Trouble In Dreams (buy from lala.com)

She & Him – Volume 1 (buy from lala.com)

Joseph Arthur – Could We Survive EP (buy from lala.com)

These New Puritans – Beat Pyramid

The Teenage Prayers – Everyone Thinks You’re The Best

Great Northern – Sleepy Eepee (buy from lala.com)

Some pretty good releases hitting stores today, we put the WOXY.com seal of approval on all of the following albums, and hope you will pick them up from the Independent Record store of your choice if you plan to buy.

The Gutter Twins – Saturnalia

Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks – Real Emotional Trash

Born Ruffians – Red Yellow And Blue

Jim White – Transnormal Skiperoo

White Hinterland - Phylactory Factory (buy from lala.com)

The Ruby Suns – Sea Lion (buy from lala.com)

These United States – A Picture Of The Three of Us At The Gates To The Garden Of Eden

Goldfrapp – Seventh Tree (buy from lala.com)

Ghostland Observatory – Robotique Majestique (buy from lala.com)

Beach House – Devotion (buy from lala.com)

I Was A Cub Scout – S/T (Import)

Sunny Day Sets Fire – Stranger Remix EP

After a somewhat slow release group last week, this week sees alot of great new albums hitting stores. Take a look at the listing below and be sure to pick up our favorites at your local independent music store of choice.

Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago (purchase from lala.com)
The Mountain Goats – Heretic Pride (purchase from lala.com)
American Music Club – The Golden Age
Bell X1 – Flock (purchase from lala.com)
The Big Sleep – Sleep Forever (purchase from lala.com)
The Epochs – S/T (purchase from lala.com)
Headlights – Some Racing, Some Stopping (purchase from lala.com)
Gary Louris – Vagabonds (purchase from lala.com SPECIAL OFFER)
Mike Doughty – Golden Delicious (purchase from lala.com)
The Raveonettes – Lust, Lust, Lust
Throw Me The Statue – Moonbeams

Loads of great new releases this week to choose from. Here are some of our favorites that hit US shores tomorrow……….

Hot Chip – Made In The Dark

Nada Surf – Lucky

Bob Mould – District Line

Sons And Daughters – This Gift (buy from lala.com)

Lightspeed Champion – Falling Off Lavender Bridge

Dead Meadow – Old Growth

Say Hi – The Wishes And The Glitch

Jason Collett – Heres To Being Here

Chris Walla – Field Manual (buy from lala)

MP3 – Chris Walla – Sing Again

Thao Nguyen – We Brave Bee Stings And All

MP3 – Thao Nguyen – Bag Of Hammers

The Helio Sequence - Keep Your Eyes Ahead (buy from lala)

MP3 – The Helio Sequence – Keep Your Eyes Ahead

Vampire Weekend – S/T

Radar Bros. - Auditorium

These New Puritans – Beat Pyramid (import)