Looking for the perfect soundtrack for this year’s big Halloween party? Sure, you could whip out Bobby “Boris” Pickett’s 1962 novelty classic “Monster Mash,” but if you’re in the mood for something more original, creative and contemporary (not to mention, fun!), Count Crow’s Halloween Spooktacular is the perfect way to get the festivities started.

Conceived, written and performed by multi-talented Denver based singer/songwriter Matt Crowe, the infectious, smile a minute 13 track collection—being released October 5, 2010 on the indie label Honur Recordsis fashioned as a stylistically diverse romp through numerous eras of popular music: 1940s a capella, classic pop, disco, 70s hard rock, hip-hop, rap and reggae. Its centerpiece is the neo-60s flavored “The Ghoulie Hop” that would make Pickett blush—and sing and dance along, of course. Count Crow’s Halloween Spooktacular was produced by Trevor Huster, known throughout the industry as “The Personal Producer”. In addition to producing and playing keys on the demo for Train’s Grammy winning “Drops of Jupiter” and producing over 30 vocal demos for them, Huster has produced and recording national hardcore acts like xRepresentx, Jesus Wept and War of Ages.

Crowe, a confessed Halloween junkie, wrote the first track for the album, the swinging, hip-hop flavored “Shout The Boo,” out of his frustration two years ago trying to find great songs to help him celebrate the holiday. “I realized there were no great Halloween albums, just a bunch of less than stellar individual tunes, old 50’s surfer music, Elvira stuff, and the gore and harsh vibe of Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson,” he says.

“I wanted to make something artists don’t do anymore, recordings that would bring out the fun side of Halloween that would also appeal to both kids and adults,” Crowe adds. Halloween has been missing that, and my goal became to start a new tradition. Last September, I vowed to make Halloween music for next year. I hooked up with Trevor through a mutual DJ friend and wrote ‘Shout The Boo,’ which has the character Count Crow just wanting to hang out with his ghoulish pals. Trevor and everyone else who heard the track told me I should make a full CD. It’s really been an incredible process.”

While Crowe is the featured vocalist on most of Count Crow’s Halloween Spooktacular, he achieves tremendous results in mood creation on the handful of tracks with other lead singers. Among these are the 1940s Louisiana styled nearly all a capella tune “The Ghost of Baton Rouge,” a ghost story told/sung in the deep drawl of Troy Horne—who also sings lead on the heavily percussive reggae tune about a Caribbean “Witch Doctor.” Crowe fast forwards a few decades for “Disco Mummy,” a disco Halloween classic to be inspired by the singer/songwriter’s enduring love for “Saturday Night Fever”; and a hilarious parody of “I Will Survive” called “You Won’t Survive” (which Count Crow sings to someone he is about to prey on). Crowe’s love for 70s music also shines through on and “Dr. Jekyll Mr. Hyde,” which has a 70s hard rock, Rolling Stones-like influence. Another key track is the rap “Reaper Man,” a 50-Cent styled piece featuring rapper Alieon that has the angel of death talking about who the real tough guy is.

For Crowe, who has worked outside the music business for many years, creating Count Crow’s Halloween Spooktacular is a return to his early passions for singing and acting. Growing up in Tucson, he performed in countless plays, musicals and theatre productions. He also trained on several different instruments, including the saxophone and piano while also taking acting classes at Tom Thumb Acting Studio before abandoning his artistic endeavors once he began attending the University of Arizona. While he kept his artistic impulses in check as he developed an outside career, the one thing that’s never changed is Crowe’s childlike love for Halloween.

“Making this album, I remembered how much I enjoyed playing different characters and writing and singing songs,” he says. “I want to evoke feelings of joy and nostalgia and really celebrate the fun spirit of Halloween. I would love for this album to someday become a core part of the experience, something families can enjoy year after year that is engrained into Americana as a vital element of the holiday. When October comes around every year, it will be nice to know that I contributed something positive to people’s lives and their memories of this unique day. The whole point is having a good time.”

Read more: http://www.myspace.com/countcrowmusic#ixzz0tUcJwPZh

Shout the Boo

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