The Marshmallow Ghosts

It’s late October.  The air is crisp, and the scent of burning leaves lingers.  In the distance you hear a chainsaw followed by the shrieks of teenage girls.  An actor dressed as a deranged and bloody farmer stalks the line, silently harassing those who pay him no mind.  Girls cling to their boyfriends crying, “I don't want to go first!”  The mood is electric.  The annual ritual of the haunted house makes you feel like you're 6 years old, trick or treating while your parents wait for you on the sidewalk; 12 years old, going to your best friend’s costume party; 16 years old, sneaking into a cemetery after dark. 

Forget the ubiquitous “Thriller” and the generic heavy metal usually associated with the holiday.  The Marshmallow Ghosts' first full-length self-titled album truly is the most fitting Halloween soundtrack. It's spooky and it’s dark.  Paradoxically, though, it’s light. It is a pop album after all – and a particularly catchy one at that.  "Hearse Song" is a notable track with its melodic sing-along feel and dance beat; as is "Trick."  Its peculiar arrangement and creepy ambiance make it an unlikely, but satisfying, pop song.  Organs, fuzzy guitars and piano chords swirl about crafty lyrics. The Marshmallow Ghosts know how to set a tone.   This album sounds, feels and virtually smells like Halloween.  While listening, you can almost taste the peanut butter cups.