Here in the U. S. of A., Black Friday is almost upon us: that unusual date following the prior day of giving thanks, in which consumers make a mad dash to the local big-box store, mall or shopping center to procure bargains for the holiday season ahead.  Retailers are controversially beginning Black Friday “festivities” even earlier than usual this year, with many sales starting on Thanksgiving Day itself and not even at midnight but in the early part of the evening.  For a number of recent years, music buyers have had our own Black Friday, that day in April known as Record Store Day in which the aisles of our independent retailers are filled with hunters of collectible vinyl and CD releases.  Record Store Day has in the past sponsored a mini-RSD event on Black Friday, but this year, the titles on offer are as enticing and nearly as plentiful as those on the main RSD itself.  For some, this will be a source of frustration, for others, excitement.

This year’s line-up for Record Store Day – Black Friday brings titles from some of the biggest names in rock including The Beach Boys, David Bowie, Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones and Nirvana, plus cult favorites like Leonard Cohen, Lee Hazlewood and Frank Zappa, and country-and-western legends such as Wanda Jackson and Buck Owens.

After the jump and without further ado, we’ll fill you in on the crème of the reissued crop come this Black Friday!  Just click for your full list of the catalogue releases to watch!

The Beach Boys, Surfin’ Safari/Isn’t It Time (Capitol, 10-inch Black Vinyl, 3,000 units)

The Beach Boys’ first and most recent Capitol singles are joined together on one disc.

Big Brother and the Holding Company, Cheap Thrills (Columbia/Legacy, 180-gram vinyl mono LP)

This Janis Joplin and Big Brother breakthrough appears in mono on this limited edition release which is housed in a replica of the original gatefold jacket!

David Bowie, Jean Genie (EMI, 7-inch Picture Disc Vinyl, 2,000 units)

This 40th Anniversary limited edition 7-inch picture disc includes Bowie’s classic “The Jean Genie” as performed on Top of the Pops which is available for the first time here.

Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band, three singles (Sundazed, 7-inch singles)

Sundazed revisits the singular career of Don Van Vliet with vinyl singles of “Aba Zaba” b/w “Yellow Brick Road;” “Plastic Factory” b/w “Where There’s a Woman;” and “Upon the My-o-My” b/w “I Got Love on My Mind.”

Johnny Cash, The Fabulous Johnny Cash (Columbia/Legacy, 180-gram vinyl mono LP)

The Man in Black goes mono on this limited edition vinyl LP reissue of his very first Columbia long-player!

Gene Clark, Echoes/I Found You (Sundazed, 7-inch single)

Gene Clark’s 1966 solo sessions for Columbia yielded this mono promotional single, reissued by Sundazed and featuring the Byrd backed by Wrecking Crew veterans including Leon Russell, Jerry Cole and Glen Campbell!

Leonard Cohen and Jeff Buckley, Hallejulah (Legacy, 7-inch single, 4,000 units)

Legacy brings together Leonard Cohen’s original recording of what’s arguably his most beloved song with the late Jeff Buckley’s seminal recording that gave it a new life.

Marshall Crenshaw, I Don't See You Laughing Now (10-inch 45 RPM single)

Though not a catalogue release, this offering from the veteran artist kicks off an exciting new series of six EPs, each containing an original Crenshaw composition, a classic cover tune, and a new reworking of a Crenshaw favorite.  For the debut EP, Crenshaw serves up the all-new "I Don't See You Laughing Now," plus a cover of The Move's 1971 "No Time" (performed with Glen Burtnick) and a new recording of "There She Goes Again."  Future titles will be available by subscription once Crenshaw's website is relaunched.

Miles Davis, Porgy and Bess/Sketches of Spain/Miles Ahead (Columbia/Legacy, mono LPs)

Legacy unveils mono LP editions of these Davis classics, all with the sublime arrangements of Gil Evans!

Bob Dylan, Duquesne Whistle/Meet Me in the Morning (Columbia, 7-inch single, 5,000 units)

The lead-off single from Dylan’s acclaimed 2012 Tempest is joined by a previously unreleased alternate from the Blood on the Tracks sessions of all-time favorite “Meet Me in the Morning.”  This single is offered in anticipation of a future release that will finally liberate the initial Blood recordings from the vault!

Grateful Dead, Live at Winterland 5/30/71 (Rhino, 10-inch red vinyl double gatefold LP, 7,500 units)

The Dead’s San Francisco concert of May 30, 1971 comes to 10-inch red vinyl LP from the fine folks at Rhino.

Cee Lo Green and Donny Hathaway, This Christmas (Elektra/Rhino, 7-inch green & red vinyl, 3,000 copies)

Voice star Cee Lo Green has gotten into the holiday spirit this year with his first Christmas album, and now his rendition of Donny Hathaway’s “This Christmas” is paired with the original on this festive single.

Merle Haggard, Capitol Rarities (Omnivore, 10-inch black vinyl, 1,200 units)

You’ll find six 1966 recordings from Hag here from Nashville’s Columbia Recording Studio and Hollywood’s Capitol Studios! (Amazon)

Lee Hazlewood, You Turned My Head Around: Lee Hazlewood Industries 1967-1970 (Light in the Attic, 11 x 7" Box Set, eleven 45 RPM singles in box set, 3,000 units)

You might find yourself in “Sugar Town” when you dig into this collection of some of the most remarkable – and remarkably offbeat – music to come from Hazlewood’s own record label.

Wanda Jackson, Capitol Rarities (Omnivore, 10-inch black vinyl, 1,200 units)

The Queen of Rockabilly is heard on alternate takes of some of her most famous songs from 1956 to 1962, including “In the Middle of a Heartache.”

Jellyfish, Stack-a-Tracks (Omnivore, 2-CD set, 1,200 units)

Even stripped of vocals, the music of Jellyfish is still pretty special as the Omnivore Recordings folks set out to prove with this instrumentals-only release!

George Jones, United Artists Rarities (Omnivore, 10-inch black vinyl, 1,200 units)

Omnivore serves up six alternate tracks from George’s discography including two duets with Melba Montgomery! (Amazon)

Judas Priest, Screaming for Vengeance: 30^th Anniversary Picture Disc (Legacy, picture disc LP)

Following an anniversary reissue this year, Screaming for Vengeance gets the picture-disc LP treatment.

Love, Forever Changes (Rhino, 180-gram vinyl LP, 1,500 units)

Arthur Lee and Love’s psychedelic masterwork turns 45, and Rhino celebrates with a 180-gram vinyl reissue including a bonus 7-inch single containing an unreleased edit of “Alone Again Or.”

Nirvana, Incesticide: 20^th Anniversary Edition (UMe, 45 RPM double 12-inch vinyl, 4,000 units)

Compilation LP Incesticide has been recompiled and remastered from the original analog master tapes and recording sources by Bernie Grundman on this UMe/Analogue Productions vinyl reissue.

Buck Owens, Buck Sings Eagles (Omnivore, 10-inch black vinyl, 1,200 units)

The Hee Haw host and Buckaroos leader brings the Bakersfield touch to “Tequila Sunrise,” “Lyin’ Eyes” and more from the Eagles songbook! (Amazon)

The Rolling Stones, The Rolling Stones (ABKCO, 7-inch single, 5,000 units)

The original debut EP from rock and roll’s bad boys is reissued!  With “Bye Bye Johnny,” “Money,” “You Better Move On” and “Poison Ivy,” this is the Stones in their swaggering early R&B prime.

The Velvet Underground, The Velvet Underground & Nico: Scepter Studios Acetate (UMe, 180-gram 12-inch vinyl, 5,000 units)

These rare April 1966 Scepter Studios recordings captured on acetate include early versions of songs later issued on The Velvet Underground & Nico!

Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, Why Don’cha Do Me Right/Big Leg Emma (Zappa/UMe, 7-inch vinyl, 4,000 units)

Last released on vinyl in 1967 and subsequently added to CD reissues of Zappa’s Absolutely Free, these two sides return to the vinyl format with this limited edition single.

Various Artists, Death Might Be Your Santa Claus (CD – 3,000 units; vinyl – 5,000 units)

We’re excited about this compilation of classic and rare blues sides from the 1920s through the 1950s, newly excavated from the Sony vaults!  Trust us, you’ll never have heard Christmas songs like these!  16 tracks on vinyl, 18 tracks on CD.

Various Artists, Reservoir Dogs: Original Soundtrack (UMe, 12-inch colored vinyl, 4,000 units)

The bloody good soundtrack to Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs gets a deluxe colored vinyl reissue!