Album Review: Halloween Hootenanny

Just what we needed for Halloween...a beach party!

Welcome back all you werewolves and vampires (I hope you do not sparkle) to “Halloween Month” here at Rave Up Music! I am Count Barius, and today, we are looking at a very common concept in the music industry: the compilation album.

In the music industry, it is common place for a record label to release compilation records. There are two types of compilation albums: one is an album that features the best songs of one musical group or artist, commonly referred to as a “greatest hits” album and the other is an album that features artists from a record label or various labels together.

When it comes to the latter of the compilation album, there are few reasons why they exist in the first place. For one, it is to showcase some the best artists of a genre of music, like The Best of Punk Music. Other times, it is to shows the hottest hits on the Billboard charts, the most common series being the Now That’s What I Call Music series.

I recently looked at the latest one in America…I did not recognize any names…

Some times with a various artists compilation album, it will involve a theme, such as a collection of love ballads, or even a holiday collection. However, there are times when the album is just an excuse to release tracks from artists that were not even good enough to appear on their own studio album.

Today, we are featuring a very unique compilation album that is brought to us from the hard rocking movie director himself, Rob Zombie.

Prior to his film directing career, Rob Zombie was singing vocals in the groove metal band White Zombie, as well as a successful solo career. Zombie’s style of music is one that is meant to groove, but has a bit of a creepy horror film feel to it. Sometime the music is very subtle and mysterious, but also can be very fast paced and full of energy. Some of my favorite tracks from Zombie include “Superbeast,” “Feel So Numb,” “Never Gonna Stop” and my absolute favorite, “Dragula.”

I can just bob my head to this one all day long…

 

At the start of Zombie’s solo career, his record label, Zombie A-Go Go Records (an affiliate of Geffen Records), released a special compilation album entitled Halloween Hootenanny. The album is a collection of Halloween and horror songs from a collection of surf rock and psychobilly groups, including the Ghastly Ones, Los Straitjackets, Reverend Horton Heat, and even a track featuring Zombie himself. The album was released on October 13^th, 1998, and to this day, it is a rarity among Rob Zombie fans. Whenever I bring up the album to my metal brethren, they look at me like I said my shoe tasted like candy corn. Normally, it tastes like candied apples, but I digress.

So today, we are going to take a look at this rare album and determine if it is a collection of Halloween fun, or if it will leave you dead as a door nail. Let us take a look at Halloween Hootenanny.

 

The Album Cover:

Oh boy…where do I begin with this one? I really do not know if I should be terrified by the monsters or laugh at them. The designs of the creatures are pretty cool, but at the same time, they are a little bit cheesy. I do like the choice of creatures, a wolfman, a mummy, and the Frankenstein monster, although I do not like the choice of instruments they are play. Clearly, the wolfman should be playing drums, and the monster should be rockin’ the bass guitar. Also, the colors on the cover give it a sort of old school horror film poster to it and it is a real eye catcher.

Now, this brings me to the name of the album: Halloween Hootenanny. The world hootenanny is a Scottish word for “celebration/party,” making the title of the album, “All Hallows Eve Party.” Basically, this album is meant to be the kind of album you play at your annual Halloween part, along with the great standards like “Monster Mash” by Bobby “Boris” Pickett, “Werewolves of London” by Warren Xevon and “Dead Man’s Party” by Oingo Boingo.

Have I mentioned that I am a big Danny Elfman fan?

 

In all seriousness, when I hear the term “Hootenanny,” I feel like I am going to a hoedown or shindig. It says to me that this is either going to be a fun, enjoyable album, or a something that is going to be too silly to take seriously how the various bands perform on their respected tracks. Honestly, I am not sure which way I am going to feel about this album.

 

The Tracks:

NOTE: NOT ALL TRACKS ARE AVAILABLE TO LISTENING TO IN THIS REVIEW. PLEASE VISIT iTunes OR OTHER MUSIC STORES TO LISTEN TO THOSE TRACKS.

 

“Halloween Hootenanny” – Zacherle

 

This album starts and ends with a spooky narration by legendary voice actor and radio personality John Zacherle. This opening track does a great job setting the mood, with the spooky sound effects and Zacherle’s haunting narration. There is really not much else to say about it.

 

“Halloween (She Get So Mean)” – Rob Zombie, featuring The Ghastly Ones

Rob Zombie’s contribution to the album features The Ghastly Ones, and screams groovy surf rock music. This song makes it feel like a throwback to the beach parties of the 1950s and 1960s. Really, I am just expecting Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello (R.I.P.) to show up to have a good golly swell time and to sing “Beach Blanket Bingo.”

Too…much…wholesomeness…

 

Honestly, it is a really catchy tune. Zombie’s vocals blend nicely with the sound of The Ghastly Ones, and the personification of Halloween as a woman is pretty clever. The song is upbeat, but has that dark edge that comes with Halloween. Overall, it is a nice way to start off this compilation album.

 

“The Halloween Dance” – Reverend Horton Heat

This rockin’ song is in the style of music known as “psychobilly,” which incorporates elements of rockabilly with lyrical themes horror and science fiction. Honestly, it is a fun little track about doing various moves of classic monster movie icons, and calling it “The Halloween Dance.”  Of course, the last time I danced like I was Igor with a hump on my back, I got my ass kicked a bunch of cheerleaders. Yes, cheerleaders…high school sucked…

 

“A Fistful of Terror” – The Bomboras

When I hear this tune, I feel the urge to get up and do the monkey like Johnny Bravo.

Try doing this like you have an Igor hump…

 

Really, this is a nice little throwback to the 60s surf rock of the Beach Boys, though I will say it is no “Surfin’ U.S.A.” The only down side to this song is it is a little short (Just a little under two and a half minutes), but it has that right kind of groove that people will enjoy during your Halloween party this year.

 

“Werewolf” – Southern Culture on the Skids

I hate to say this, but this is one of the weaker tracks on the album. The musical ideas are not that well-developed, and it ends too soon to really let the song really grow and be musically interesting. Honestly, it is really one of those tracks you can skip on this album.

 

“Gravewalk” – Satan’s Pilgrims

 

When I first saw the title, I immediately thought of zombies dragging themselves around, looking for brains. Then when I heard the song, all I could picture was Randal from Clerks Randal-walking into the Quickstop.

I do this every time I enter a convenient store…

All joking aside, the song has a nice walking tempo that really develops the musical ideas, though it does get a bit repetitive at times. At the end of the song, right as the maniac laugh can be heard, there is the sound a tambourine slowly walking away, like a zombie going back into his grave, and it is very affective.

 

“Ribcage Mambo” – Frenchy

 

I am not going to lie: this is one of the catchiest songs on the compilation album, but it is not really that good. The beginning has a good promising start, with creepy sounding vibes accompanying a trumpet soloist. It feels like something out of an old episode of Scooby Doo. However, once Frenchy starts singing, a lot of the fun is sucked out of the song. I feel like Frenchy has no energy behind her performances. I know that mambo music is a bit more laid back in terms of musical styles, but it still has enough energy that you can dance to it. I just do not feel like dancing to this song, especially with Frenchy singing about me being stuck in her ribcage and there is no way out. Personally, I am just going to split from this one like the kids from Mystery Inc…

 

“I Drink Blood” – Rocket from the Crypt

This track makes up for the previous one. It starts off mysterious and slow, but eventually hits you in the face punk rock awesomeness. Sure, the lyrics are a bit incoherent at times, but it is a nice change of pace from “Ribcage Mambo.”

 

“Little Demon” – The Amazing Crowns

For some reason, I look at that title and I cannot help but think of the cartoon character Hot Stuff…

 

Only one word comes to mind when I hear this take on the classic song by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins: annoying. It really gives me a headache to hear the singer’s shouting lyrics and makes the little demon seem more little some crazy old dude shouting at people on the street. Really, I would recommend listening to the original by Hawkins. It has a good swing feel, and Hawkins’ vocals are much easier on the ears.

 

“No Costume No Candy” – Swingin’ Neckbreakers

This song is my own personal anthem when it comes to dealing with the teenagers who come by my house on Halloween without a costume on, although instead of a pillowcase for their candy, it is usually a plastic bag from Walmart. Furthermore, I usually I have a bowl of terrible candy to give teenagers like that. Granted, they usually toilet paper my house later on, but I digress…This song has a nice basic rock groove to it, really does a great job expressing the frustrating of people give out candy around this time of the year.

 

“‘The Munsters’ Theme” – Los Straitjackets

This is a nice little cover of the classic 60s TV theme. I like the slower tempo, for it gives a bit of a darker feel to the song. It still grooves enough that the spirit of the original theme is still there. If Herman Munster heard this cover, I am sure he would approve of it.

I never understood how he was a monster and his wife was a vampire, yet they had a werewolf son…

 

“Sinister Purpose” – Zacherle with Southern Culture on the Skids

I honestly have no idea what was the purpose of this song. Zacherle is mostly sing-talking in this song, almost like a weird mix of William Shatner and Lou Reed, and it is over some sort of country-rock twang. It really is a bit awkward to sit and listen to, so I would honestly skip this one. No disrespect to Zacherle, but I just would not find this one on regular play on my iPod.

 

“Werewolves on Wheels” – The Born Losers

Apparently, this song is based off a 1971 exploitation of the same name.

Dude, I need to see this movie…

 

I mean, when you hear the idea of a werewolf riding a motorcycle, what else could you picture?

NO! NOT THAT!
 

Anyway, this song is what I call “chase music,” where you are on the run from a monster or creature, and it is up to you to get away from them. It is a really upbeat, catchy little number, filled with awesome motorcycle sounds to add the effect of the song. Overall, a pretty good track on the album.

“Psychic Voodoo Doll” – Deadbolt 

Honestly, this song is an example of what is the problem with the album as a whole: there are good songs on here, but it is also very repetitive in style and song choices. For me, this one does not stand out like a lot of the other tunes, and it is another I would probably skip.

“Banshee Beach” – The Ghastly Ones

The Ghastly Ones are one of the best groups on this album. They have a good mix of surf rock with themes that suggest supernatural elements. “Banshee Beach” is your stand surf jamming tune, but demonstrates great musicianship and technique. This song is so addicting, I could easily hear it in the film Psycho Beach Party.

Cheesy “B” Movie Style at its finest…

 

“The Creature Stole my Surfboard” – Dead Elvi

 

Just the imagery of the Creature from the Black Lagoon riding on a surfboard is worth giving this one a listen…and another…and another…

 

“Extrasensory Deception” – Davie Allan & The Phantom Surfers

This song is a down and gritty surf rock/psychobilly tune that is sweet, to the point, and has enough to boogie down to.

“Spooks Night Out” – The Legendary Invisible Men

This song is a good mix of punk, surf rock, and rockabilly about the spooks coming to get you this night. I will say that the vocals are pretty good, and it has enough energy to get into the mosh pit.

“Happy Halloween” – Zacherle

The album ends with another bit of poetry from Zacherle. Nothing more I can say about is.

OVERALL IMPRESSION:

For an album called Halloween Hootenanny, I am really not getting my groove on. The album is a mixed bag of good and not so good tracks, but a lot of the tracks feel more like I should be listening to them in my basement while staring at my lava lamp. 

Whoa…trippy, man…

Most of the music is good cheesy surf rock music, and it can be really catchy and danceable. However, there are songs on here that I feel we picked just filled the album up. As a compilation album, I am not sure if it best represents the genres of surf rock and psychobilly. Still, if you want something different to play during your Halloween party besides “Monster Mash,” “Love Poison No. 9,” or “Ghostbusters,” I recommend trying to locate a copy of this album, especially for “The Creature Stole my Surfboard.”

Well, that brings us to the end of another edition of Rave Up Music! Join again next time as Halloween Month rolls on into another installment of A Little Slice of Metal. Until next time, I am Barius, and I am going to leave you with a classic Halloween song. Here is “Monster Mash,” with some clips from DTV’s Monster Hits. Enjoy!

NOTE: All material and media featured in this blog are owned by their respected copyright holders, and are only used for purposes of review, commentary and satire under the terms of Fair Use. Please support the official release of all media used in this review.