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The Gift of Music: Anthologies to please

Geoffrey Himes, Baltimore City Paper, 14 November 2012

WHY ARE multi-disc collections of old music still valuable in an era of downloads retrieved from nearly boundless clouds? Because these box sets and greatest-hit collections do something that's difficult for mere links to accomplish. By combining dozens of carefully chosen tracks with photos and extensive notes into one integrated package, these reissues do more than merely serve up a bunch of music; they present an argument. Like a lawyer in the court of public opinion, the compilers and annotators are arguing that these particular tunes, placed in the context of these particular notes, make the best possible case for this artist, theme, or sub-genre.

Total word count of piece: 970

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