It’s Halloween time again, my favorite time of year! This year’s list features some really great stuff, as always, quite a few of which I found out about because of the podcast. I hope I can be forgiven for sneaking in a couple of not-really-Halloween-but-sorta-related videos.
A couple of these were released last year but didn’t make the list because they came out after I published. This year, I’ll be keeping track of those sorts of releases on my Twitter and Facebook pages, so follow me there for more Halloween goodness (assuming there’s anything more to report).
Oh, and speaking of my social media sites, I’ll be posting some pics of my costume that I’ve put together based on my online persona, Darth Aqueous, Dark Lord of the Fish. I’ll probably update my profile pic for the web page, too.
Jesse Dangerously – “Pumpkin Spice Illuminatte”
A couple of years ago, Jesse Dangerously released a track about the ridiculous ubiquity of pumpkin spice everything, and now he has a new version. It’s not exactly Halloween-y, but it’s perfect for the time of year. And now I want a pumpkin spice latte…
MC Lars – “Never Afraid” (ft. Watsky)
Again not strictly Halloween, but certainly fitting for the season. Not being afraid is something that we can learn from reading all of that classic children’s literature. I absolutely love this song, and the video is positively amazing! It brought me many joyful smiles!
FatKid DogShirt / Fortuna Major – “This Is Halloween”
OK, now on to the actual Halloween music! This group has changed names since this cover was released, but here they are again with this song from The Nightmare Before Christmas. Awesome as always!
Player Piano – “Ghost Waltz”
Sonya finds herself compelled to play the piano while spirits dance around her. When she’s invited to join, her spirit does so while her body continues to play. Gorgeous and spooky all at the same time!
Nuclear Bubble Wrap – “The Halloween That Came Before November the First”
Oh, man, the video for this makes the song even creepier. I think Kyle could play a serial killer quite well. Great stuff! And be sure to check out the just released (and creepy!) “Sexy Silk” as well.
Kraken Not Stirred – “Robot Invasion of Earth”
Remember that Halloween in 1955 when the robots invaded? Relive that memory with Kraken Not Stirred!
Rock/Paper/Cynic – “Zombie Apocalypse Blues”
Peter has the blues. The zombie apocalypse blues. Maybe Dr. Greg can help him out. Or maybe he can’t…
Count Jared – “Wenches and Blood”
The ooky, spooky Count Jared loves just two things: wenches and blood. And velvet smoking jackets, and capes, and top hats… This is one of the more fun tracks on the album, and I thought it needed its own highlight beyond just my review of the album.
two weeks notice – “Body & Soul”
Tribe One and Mikal kHill team up for a reminder that one day we’ll all die. And perhaps we’ll awaken on the Day of the Dead. As an aside, I’m totally going to show this video to my students when we study William Cullen Bryant’s “Thanatopsis” as a contrasting view of death.
Fable Cry – “The Good Doctor”
Credit to Greg Troyan of Lipstick for turning me on to this band. His recommendation was the song “Fancy Dancing,” but I felt like this video based on Frankenstein was much creepier, with the puppet doctor and monster. But both are quite good, as is the rest of the album. Be sure to check out my interview with members of the band on the podcast. Oh, and they should have a video up soon for “Dead or Alive (For Now),” so watch their YouTube channel for that as well.
Ambush Vin – “Bite”
OK, maybe the chorus for this track is a little on the cheesy side, but whenever I hear the song I can’t get it out of my head for days. Besides, I love the image this song creates in my head of a disco vampire. Very amusing!
Wordburglar – “Spectre Inspectors” (ft. Timbuktu)
Wordburglar relates a story in which he and his friends saw a ghost. “It’s hard to argue with your own two eyes” — well, unless you’re taking peyote…
My Parents Favorite Music – “Pumpkin Zone” (ft. Schäffer the Darklord)
With an 8-bit version of “Thriller” produced by Saitone, Steffo brings us an awesome track about the little known “pumpkin zone” where all your favorite Halloween characters meet. Extra special bonus points for Schäffer the Darklord channeling his inner Vincent Price.
Sam Mulligan – “Over at the Frankenstein Place”
I discovered this 8-bit version of the Rocky Horror soundtrack from Geek Beat Radio via Insane Ian. Given that it’s the 40th anniversary of the movie, and with the recent announcement of Laverne Cox playing the role of Frank N. Furter in the upcoming TV movie version, I knew I wanted to include something from the movie on this list. This seemed an appropriate one.
Swamp Thing – “Lake Eerie” (ft. Ghettosocks) (NSFW)
Swamp Thing have a new album releasing on October 30, just in time for Halloween. Here’s one of the preview tracks to help get you in the mood.
