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PRE-GRAMMY GALA GOES GAGA FOR GERSON
Jody will be the center of attention at Clive's shindig. (12/18a)
ON THE COVER:
BILLIE EILISH
A star upon the highest bough (12/19a)
NOISEMAKERS:
A HOLIDAY TREAT
Something for their stockings (12/18a)
SUPREME COURT SETS 1/10 HEARING ON TIKTOK BAN
How will SCOTUS rule? (12/19a)
THE HIP-HOP CONUNDRUM
Grammy being Grammy (12/19a)
NOW WHAT?
We have no fucking idea.
COUNTRY'S NEWEST DISRUPTOR
Three chords and some truth you may not be ready for.
AI IS ALREADY EATING YOUR LUNCH
The kids can tell the difference... for now.
WHO'S BUYING THE DRINKS?
That's what we'd like to know.
Critics' Choice
LEGACY'S RECORD STORE DAY GOODIES: LONG PLAYERS
11/27/15

Here are but a few of the albums and EPs lighting up RSD Black Friday, via Legacy. (Note: Only some of the pictured items are reviewed here.)

Judas Priest, Painkiller Collector’s EP: This reissue of the Brit metal masters’ 1990 barrage, on buzzsaw-edged blue vinyl, finds their frenetic but disciplined bombast in full flower. The dual lead guitars of Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing on the title track, “A Touch of Evil” and “Hell Patrol” are simply jaw-dropping. Prepare to throw goat in a big way.

Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, A Legend in the Making—Live at the El Mocambo: Two LPs, on grey and white vinyl, capture a magisterial 1983 set by the guitar giant and his trio. The playing is simply sensational, of course, and particularly shines on his blistering version of Hendrix’s “Voodoo Chile,” “Pride and Joy,” the smokin’ “Texas Flood” and another Jimi tribute, a medley of “Little Wing” and “Third Stone From the Sun.” It’s been 25 years since we lost this great musician, but the wound still feels fresh.

Jimi Hendrix, Burning Desire: Jimi’s posthumous output over the last four-and-a-half decades has been prodigious, thanks to vaults full of studio and live jams; this “official bootleg” of studio stuff from 1969-70 was mixed by the great Eddie Kramer and is pressed on audiophile-grade vinyl. The two LPs include versions of late-period stompers like “Ezy Rider,” “Astro Man” and “Izabella,” not to mention some blazing blues.

Transformers The Movie OST: How do you make a CGI-fixated adolescent care about the record player? Unwrap this badass double-LP celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Marvel promotion for the original animated feature, with Autobot etched red vinyl on disc 1 and Decepticon etched purple vinyl on disc 2. The ST features suitably transformative score music and even a cut from Weird Al.

Various Artists, Garden State OST: The Grammy-winning soundtrack for Zach Braff’s 2004 indie rom-com is impeccably cool, boasting Coldplay, The Shins, Remy Zero, Nick Drake, Thievery Corporation, Iron and Wine, Simon & Garfunkel and other mood-setting tunes. This limited-edition version is pressed on orange and yellow 180-gram vinyl.

OutKast, Stankonia: The madly inventive breakout set by hip hop’s brilliantly baroque duo features hits “Ms. Jackson” and “So Fresh, So Clean,” among other gems, and is pressed on two appropriately psychedelic, multi-colored “splatter” LPs in a limited run of—you guessed it—3000.