Record Label: S/R
Genre: Indie
Band Link: swimminginashallowsea.blogspot.com

Originally intended as a children’s album, the 10 tracks on here are Halloween-themed “ridiculous songs about monsters and crap” (from the press release).

I was expecting to wince uncomfortably at goofy Monster Mash-like tunes, but the album is thankfully entrenched in the band’s usual smartly-crafted power pop. There are forced “spooky” (read: dopey) vocals on “The Boogeyman,” “Frankenstein,” and “The Mummy,” but the music itself is good. Other tracks include the shoegaze-y “Medusa,” the Britpop-ish “Widdle Witches,” toe-tapping ditty “Black Cats,” and even some 50s style doo-wop (“Go Away, Ghosts,” my favorite track).

While I’m not a big fan of Halloween-themed songs, these are well written and catchy and avoid dreaded campiness. The combination of power pop and raw-sounding production (as well as keeping durations under two minutes) may appeal to fans of psychobilly and horrorpunk looking for something in an indie pop vein.

Bottom Line: Halloween-themed album that, thanks to strong songwriting, mostly avoids kitch.
Notable Tracks: Medusa; Go Away, Ghosts; Black Cats; The Mummy
Overall Rating: