Twin Peaks Original Score LP reissue
That gum you like is supposed to come back in style some time next year, but until it does, Death Waltz Recording Company beckons you back to Twin Peaks with this deluxe edition of the groundbreaking series’ original score. Pressed into “damn fine coffee” vinyl—which looks great, but is arguably more of a “fish in the percolator” motif—the reissue frees Angelo Badalamenti’s dreamy mix of film-noir jazz and soap-opera sap from the indifferent-jewel-case purgatory in which it’s been trapped for a quarter century. Rather than overdoing the references, the package goes oblique, with a die-cut slip case that invokes both the Black Lodge and the rudimentary symbols that spell out its location, and a sleeve covered in the eerily waving pines that hide Twin Peaks’ dark secrets. When you’re not busy recreating Audrey Horne’s swooning diner dance, take the record off the turntable and scan the etchings along the run-out groove. Fortunately, the ones on my copy don’t say “Play me backward to hear James Hurley sing ‘Just You.’” [Erik Adams]
Carex therapy lamp
I get SAD in the winter—yes, that’s the acronym for seasonal affective disorder, an intermittent condition that can cause or exacerbate depressive feelings. As the daylight hours dwindle, so too does my ability to be a productive member of society, i.e., someone who has to get up early to write breaking news about all your favorite TV shows and films. Throw in a vitamin-D deficiency, and the winter is usually a nightmare for my circadian rhythms. That’s why I own a therapy lamp. I started out with the first thing I could find at Bed Bath & Beyond, but once I was able to afford something that had been reviewed properly, I switched to this Carex one. Its sleek, inconspicuous design appeals to me, but most importantly, it works great. It’s adjustable, there isn’t much glare, and it blocks UV rays so you don’t end up with a different kind of malady altogether. Bonus: You’ll feel super cool sitting around in sunglasses first thing in the morning. [Danette Chavez]
The Undertale score
Before he created the most popular indie game on the planet, Toby “Radiation” Fox was mostly known as a composer, contributing songs to projects like his fellow internet sensation Homestuck. Besides being a fascinating, thoughtful game in its own right, though, Fox’s Undertale serves as the perfect portfolio for his chiptunes-influenced musical work, jumping between styles and tones with an impressive display of skill. There’s not a single bad song in the whole collection, but Undertale really shines in its boss themes, which capture the character and intensity of their subjects with total precision. Goofy skeleton Papyrus gets the lively “Bonetrousle,” for instance, while the hardcore warrior Undyne has “Spear Of Justice” (or the even better “Battle Against A True Hero,” when she gets really serious about taking you down). Ironically, most players won’t even encounter the game’s best track, “Megalovania”—a rocking 8-bit battle theme that Fox has been tinkering with for years, and which has served as the musical backdrop for many of my late nights penning newswires or game reviews—since it only plays on the game’s darkest moral track. Of course, you can listen to the entire soundtrack on YouTube (or buy it digitally), but Fox recently announced that he’ll also be selling it soon on vinyl (in case you’ve got any high-fidelity Undertale obsessives on your Christmas list). [William Hughes]