Welcome to HNGN's weekly top picks, where we cull the best and brightest releases in fashion, beauty, music, books, tech, DVD/BluRay and other must-have stuff. Come back each week for more of-the-moment goodness.
MUSIC
Taylor Swift: 1989 (Big Machine Records)
This year was shaping up to be the first without a platinum album (one million sales) since certification was introduced in 1976. But that was until Taylor Swift released "1989" earlier this week; Billboard reports the album will reach Platinum by the end of its the week.
See her video for "Shake It Off" here:
Cat Stevens/Yusuf: Tell 'Em I'm Gone (Legacy/Sony Music)
Whether you call him by his birth name Steven Demetre Georgi, his long-time stage name Cat Stevens, or Yusuf Islam, a name he's been using since the late 1970s after his conversion to Islam, the legendary folk singer-songwriter behind songs like "Peace Train" and "Moon Shadow" has released a new album. Even bigger news: his first North American tour in 35 years begins in December.
Listen to the title track here:
Led Zeppelin: IV, Houses Of The Holy reissues (Atlantic Catalog Group)
The Led Zeppelin reissues project continues with the release of new versions of the band's untitled fourth album (commonly called "IV") and "Houses Of The Holy," with remastering done by Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page. Both re-releases include a second disc of "companion audio comprised entirely of unreleased music related to that album," according to Led Zep's website.
Check out the official video for the alternative mix of the Zeppelin classic "Rock And Roll" here:
The Flaming Lips: With A Little Help From Our Fwends (Warner Bros.)
Wayne Coyne and crew take a characteristically weird approach to 13 Beatles classics, with a little help from their "fwends," including Miley Cyrus, Moby, My Morning Jacket, Phantogram and Tegan & Sara.
FASHION
All Hollows' Eve is fast approaching. But if you don't want to use this one spooky night to dress risqué without being judged, here are a few edgy, seductive and a tad bit peculiar items to sneak into your own outfit.
• Free People's Reign Over Me Lace Dress is a sheer mesh dress with a plunging neckline for ladies who want to summon their inner storybook maiden/damsel – the one who saves the prince (because this is the 21st century). It comes in white and black as well as romance novel-worthy colors like "deep teal" and "dusty lilac." Maybe that prince you saved can show some gratitude by buying the $128 dress for you. He's a prince, after all. He can afford it.
• Hot Topic, a go-to place for all things Halloween-y, has a lightweight scarf inspired by the new movie "The Book of Life," about a man who journeys through mythical realms to save the woman he loves. The festive scarf has colorful skulls in the traditional motif of the Day of the Dead, an ancient Aztec holiday celebrated in Latin America to honor those who have passed on.
The Book of Life Skull Scarf is on sale now for $10.88.
• MAC Cosmetics' Rocky Horror Picture Show collection: This month MAC Cosmetics launched a collection of blood-red lipsticks and bold pigments designed to evoke the iconic characters of the 1975 cult hit "Rocky Horror Picture Show." Make a statement as a "sex-swapping mad scientist, heroic newlywed, alien from Transylvania or even hunky Rocky Horror himself," as MAC's website so eloquently describes.
Fitbit has debuted three new wristbands for tracking physical activity: the Charge, Charge HR and Surge. All three of these devices monitor daily activity like steps taken, calories burned and distance traveled, but the Charge HR can also track your heart rate and the Surge features a GPS. The Surge also acts as a smartwatch, showing incoming calls and text alerts, and it includes music control. The Charge will be available in the U.S. this holiday season for $130, but the Charge HR and Surge won't early 2015, $150 for the Charge HR and $250 for the Surge.
Motorola Droid Turbo
Motorola has teamed up with Verizon to introduce its new Droid Turbo phone. The phone's main camera features a 21-megapixel sensor. Additional features include a 3,900 mAh battery that Motorola says will last for two days, as well as a charger that adds eight hours of battery life to the phone in 15 minutes. The Droid Turbo will be available starting Thursday, Oct. 30 for $599.99. Verizon said customers also have the option of paying $24.99 per month for 24 months through the Verizon Edge plan.
(Reporting by Michael Lello, Oulimata Ba, Emily Morgan, Amanda Bernocco, Maxine Wally and John Nassivera. Editing by Michael Lello. Want to be considered for Coveted? Send your product information, with photos, to m.bullerdick@hngn.com or send product samples to Michael Q. Bullerdick HNGN/33 Universal, 33 Whitehall St. - 7th Floor, New York, NY 10004)
