“Happy Halloween” – The Blanks
We love The Blanks. We have known the guys for several years and we know them as straight up mad musical geniuses. If you need proof of their musicality and comedicality , you can check out our exclusive video interview with this band of merry men.
Their original homage to Halloween, through the aptly titled “Happy Halloween”, is hil-ari-ous. Pumpkins rule!
Buy “Happy Halloween”
“Monster” – Kanye West
Let’s keep the Halloween theme going with this track about monsters. Rick Ross, Jay-Z, Nicki Minaj, And Bon Iver join Kanye West on this ghoulish hard hitting track. I must admit, something about Nicki Minaj captivates me. She makes me laugh and freaks me out all at the same time. “Monster Mash” of 2010?
Buy “Monster”
“Dead Man’s Party” – Oingo Boingo
We go back to the 80′s to unearth this little gem. With Halloween this week it is only fitting we break out some New Wave music, right? Plus, the track was recently featured on NBC’s Chuck, so that totally reminded me of how awesome the song is. If you can’t get out to the Buy Mart, you can click below for the digital shopping equivalent.
Buy “Dead Man’s Party”
There’s an ancient Greek myth about a dude named Orpheus who lost his wife Eurydice to the underworld due to a series of very nasty poisonous snake bites, on their wedding day of all times. The story could end there and still suck, but it gets worse.
Orpheus travels to the underworld and so moves Hades with his beautiful, mournful songs, that he agrees to release both he and his bride-to-be back into the upper world with one, admittedly odd, condition: Orpheus must lead the way, Eurydice must follow silently behind, and Orpheus can never look back at her until both have reached the upper world.
The moment he set foot back on solid earth, he turned to gaze upon the face of his beloved, forgetting that they both had to be in the upper world before he could look back. Eurydice, of course, got sucked back down to hell and Orpheus never would see her again.
Your asking yourself what this story has to do with popular music, and it’s a valid question. The answer is simpler than you think, and her name is Anais Mitchell. An Ani DiFranco product, Mitchell is a soulful, talented songwriter who in March of 2010 finally released a recording of “Hadestown,” her folk opera based on the story of Orpheus and Eurydice.
The term “folk opera” sounds like it’d be the lamest genre of music in the history of life, but the score to “Hadestown” is so diverse and emotional and—dare I say—blessed with the hard-to-achieve virtue of relistenability, that it’s anything but boring. Featuring such talented musicians such as DiFranco, Bon Iver, and a folk artist named Greg Brown that’s got one of the most guttural, affecting voices in the genre.
My personal favorites are “Way Down Hadestown,” “How Long?” and “Hey, Little Songbird,” but there are a ton of tracks on this record that could be stand-alone successes. A few are a little experimental, but there’s a reason this Anais Mitchell album (and the live show it’s based off of) has been so critically acclaimed. It’s smart, moving music, but with a story like this one, how could it not be?
It’s a musical experience you won’t regret you had. You won’t look back. In fact, you’re forbidden to. Just like Orpheus.
Buy Hadestown:
Have you ever heard the term “Less is more?” For me, it directly applies to tequila, Kanye West, shopping and physical activity. In a general sense, I tend to think that these things offer me the most when I experience them less. However, the term can also be used to describe something (or in this case someone) that has the ability to offer more with less. In the musical world, I find the greatest artists to be those that create brilliant music without hiding behind production effects and auto-tuning. For those of you that just said, “Hey! T-Pain is a real artist and he uses auto-tune!” You just proved two things: 1. That you are 12 years old and 2. That you are a communist.
No, the artist I am talking about is of course Bon Iver. For those of you that are unfamiliar, familiarize yourself. His album For Emma, Forever Ago is the perfect example of doing more with less. The band now consists of four members, however For Emma, Forever Ago was independently released by indie-folk songwriter, and primary member, Justin Vernon during an elongated stay in a remote part of Wisconsin. Vernon, with the help of an independent label, ended up releasing the album in 2008 to much praise which goes to show, if you can dream it you can do it. Or if you build it he will come. Or the power is yours. I can’t remember which one.
You’ll find songs like “Flume” and “For Emma” completely addicting; like a nicotine brownie wrapped in episodes of 24. His charismatically simple melodies and haunting tones are delicately peaceful, but emotionally powerful.
Check out the live studio version of “Flume”:
If you want something to sit back and relax to, pick up For Emma, Forever Ago. You won’t find hard-hitting drum beats or electric guitars or T-Pain, but I promise it will be worth it. And if you get completely addicted (like myself) make sure you check out their latest EP Blood Bank.
Buy the album!
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