Happy Halloween you devilish punks! If you’re getting a little bit tired of listening to Monster Mash and Ghostbusters on a loop this spooky season, then might we be able to suggest the brand new album by The Goldstars to refresh your Samhain playlists?
‘The Halloween Album‘ does what it says on the tin- it provides 13 super fun, raucous, and spine tingling tracks that hit that difficult sweet spot in between Halloween kitsch and punk credibility. It also marks the first full length album release by the band in 20 years!
It’s a strong return and although every track tackles a very Halloween-specific topic like picking your costume (‘Let Your Freak Flag Fly‘) or what happens after the party detailed in Bobby Pickett’s ‘Monster Mash‘ winds down but the ghouls are still going (‘Monsters Go Away‘), the riffs and kooky charm are evergreen and I know you will be listening to this whenever you feel like a bit of escapism.
The titles and lyrical content of the album hit every point on a Halloween checklist- Frankenstein (‘I Frankensteined U‘), ghosts (‘New Orleans Ghost Tour Night‘) and multiple references to trick or treating (‘Want My Damn Candy‘ and ‘Leave Me Alone‘).
The band make great use of sound affects (including some effective finger clicking in ‘It’s Scary‘) , additional voices and swirling organs in order to create an authentic ‘ghosts-and-ghouls’ vibe but as the band are comprised of accomplished garage punk musicians, each track is a legit standalone horror punk song! There’s rock ‘n’ roll, there’s Cramps-esque psychobilly coolness and there’s even a bit of funk thrown in for good measure! Add in surf rock and rockabilly and you have a classic retro feel that adds to a sense of nostalgia that people crave around this time of year.
With humour, affection and incisive Halloween nous, The Goldstars new album is the answer to the question ‘what am I gonna play at my punk Halloween party’?
‘The Halloween Album’ is out now on streaming services via Mordorlorff Music. You can listen/download HERE.
Happy Halloween Punks!