You've binged it, now listen to it. Season 3 of Stranger Things starts pretty much as expected. It's Summer 1985, There’s a new mall in town, and the kids are slowly mutating into teens. And, you know, there’s that whole portal to another dimension, monsters, telekinetic powers, et cetera. Stranger Things is a marketing force to be reckoned with - They even resurrected New Coke to celebrate the occasion. (Here’s a conspiracy theory for you - New Coke was introduced to cover up the transition from cane sugar to HFCS in what later came to be known as “Coke Classic”.) Stranger Things has been continuously praised for its clever manipulation of our shared nostalgia for the bygone era of E.T. and Stand By Me, and the music emphasizes this point thoroughly. This is not the score (composed by Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein), but a collection of 15 retro hits that feature in this season. The set starts with the instantly hair-raising synth bed of "Baba O'Riley" by The Who before working through appropriate pop hits by artists such as Madonna, Foreigner, and The Cars. Also featured are Wham!, Weird Al, and Huey Lewis & The News. This LP is pressed on double vinyl, and includes a bonus 7” featuring Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin) And Gabriella Pizzolo (Suzie) singing the theme song to a beloved 80's film. 

• double black vinyl w/ bonus 7"
• gatefold sleeve
• includes mini poster insert
• music label: Legacy 2019

reviewed by STRONGER THONGS 06/2019