Hard economic times don’t just mean job losses and foreclosures – we buy more beer, skirts get longer, and stuff gets packaged together.  Cars either come stripped (for ppl unsure if they can buy cars now) or loaded with options cuz dealers try to get the most out of the few sure sales.

In music, we now have box sets.  Everywhere.  From almost everyone.  What kind of box set should From have for the Fair Isle album?

Vivian Girls have the surf’s up fun pack:

And it’s just $20!  Love the postcards.  Great idea to include some stationery.

Paul McCartney’s The Fireman has a Digital + Deluxe Limited Edition of the album Electric Arguments for $80.  Packaged in a tin box, the set contains

• 13 track direct metal mastered double vinyl 200gm audiophile quality
• 13 track CD album
• 7 track CD containing bonus mixes and alternate versions
• DVD containing hi-definition audio recordings 24bit 96Khz
• DVD containing multi-track session files for a selection of the album tracks allowing you to remix
• Exclusive art print
• Extensive booklet
• Immediate download of files

From has a long way to go before issuing DVDs with multi-track session files for remixes.  (If you want to remix a song, just ask for the multi-tracks, and I’ll gladly put them up on Rapidshare).  As for the booklet – can I sub a magazine?

Even more blue chip is Warner Bros.’ Revolutions in Sound set:

• Warren Zanes’ hardcover book celebrating the label’s 50th anniversary
• USB flash drive featuring 320 tracks
• Music includes Jimi Hendrix, My Chemical Romance, the Grateful Dead, Madonna, Fleetwood Mac, Frank Sinatra, Tab Hunter, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Green Day, Van Halen, Michael Bublé, Regina Spektor, The White Stripes, Cher, Curtis Mayfield, Ramones, REM, Faith Hill, Alanis Morrisette, Randy Newman, Funkadelic, Seal, Big & Rich, Alanis Morrisette, Linkin Park, Josh Groban, Paul Simon, Eric Clapton and hundreds of others.

Yes, a USB drive.  If WB sells its music on a flash drive, Brand Records will jump off the cliff, too.

A ridiculously beautiful set comes from The Vinyl Factory.  It’s for the music and artwork of Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett’s Monkey Journey To The West.  Here are some images via CR Blog:

Nice.  The record is etched:

It’s 65£, or $280 (kidding!  The dollar is a mighty currency.  65£ is about $130.  Ha!)

I love monkeys, and I love gold!  That’s a grand package, but From has more in common with the of Montreal Skeletal Lamping 2xLP Package Deal:

You get lots of choices within this set:

• Skeletal Lamping 2xLP
• Skeletal Lamping digital download code
• Skeletal Lamping gemini tactics lantern
• Skeletal Lamping 9-piece button set
• Your choice of Skeletal Lamping wall decals
• Your choice of Skeletal Lamping tote bag
• Your choice of Skeletal Lamping T-shirt
• FREE sticker set
• FREE 48″ x 36″ die-cut poster (included in LP)
• FREE of Montreal 3-song rarity download card
• FREE It Goes Without Saying compilation

Did you know I used to design bags?  Dude, I need to have some sort of lugging article in the set.  Less pen-and-watercolor, more Helvetica, and we have the bag From!

Okay, so a rough sketch for the Set From:

Something gold +

USB drive:

An old school iPod shuffle doubles for both gold and the USB drive.   It’ll have all the songs + remixable tracks + videos + ???

A bag:

Groceries are for demo purposes only – the From tote will help you help the planet/support Whole Foods.

T-shirt:

I’ll personally pick you a shirt from a limited edition run inspired by this post.

Premium booklet:

Let’s go for a classic Economist issue instead.

Stationery:

The From branded White House letterhead is exclusive to this hypothetical set.

Etched vinyl:

Yes.

Helvetica:

Done.

Bonus:

First 50 to get the set will also get pre-made From paper planes in wedding invitation-grade paper.

Tags: box set, Damon Albarn, Jamie Hewlett, of Montreal, Paul McCartney, stationery, T-shirt, The Fireman, tote, vinyl, Vivian Girls