Various Artists “Chilling, Thrilling Hooks And Haunted Harmonies: The Big Stir Records Halloween Grimoire”
Big Stir Records brews up a perfectly ghoulish collection for the season with Chilling, Thrilling Hooks and Haunted Harmonies. The label’s roster dives headfirst into Halloween fun, mixing hooks, humor, and just enough creep factor to keep things lively. Each song opens with a brief spoken-word intro—mostly unnecessary, but it does help set the spooky tone.
Sparkle*jets U.K. bounce in with “Eyeball Eater,” a candy-coated cousin to “The Purple People Eater” and The Incurables “Halloween Bride” are made for any Halloween dance floor. The Armoires shift gears with “Full On Witch Mode,” all dreamy séance energy and ghostly charm. The Spongetones deliver a crisp jangle on “Spirit World,” Shplang goes darker with the reverb-laden “Frankie’s Back,” and Graham Parker & The Goldtops stir up some bluesy mischief on “Music of the Devil.” With over 20 songs, not every spell hits its mark, but the spirit of the season shines through. For fans of smart pop with a spooky twist, this collection is a playful and tuneful treat bag worth digging into.
Timmy Sean “Transmissions From The Timmyverse”
Similarly along the lines of Steve Eggers (The Nines) and Fernando Perdomo, Timmy Sean has embraced some AI tools to create “The Timmyverse,” a universe of “artists” with their own musical style. But each of these personas are created with an Artificial Intelligence assist. Timmy Sean has dived headfirst into this new technology with a massive amount of music. Volume 1 of “The Timmyverse” has funk, disco, glam and more. He continued this in a second volume this month, and the best part is that he includes the non-AI altered “original” versions of the songs (and in most cases I like them better) with “the enhanced versions.”
In the hands of a skilled musician and producer, the AI versions sound great. He’s done wonders with Beatles covers, and he gets better with each attempt. Because it jumps around style-wise, its easy to pick and choose your favorites. Stay tuned to his Bandcamp page as he grows this universe, you may find some surprises like the solid “7teen.” Check it out!