Various Artists — The House Of Horrors
The House Of Horrors is a twenty-seven-track compilation focusing on groovy, creepy, cheesy 50s & 60s Rock ‘n’ roll, R&B, pop, and related genres- all primed for your Halloween party. The CD release is from fine folks at Bear Family Records- who truly are the gold-standard company when it comes to retro compilations, as they put so much thought/ passion into all they put-out, and this release is no exception.
The CD comes presented in a see-through jewel case- this takes in a colourful twenty-page inlay booklet. This opens with a four-and-a-half-page write-up about the compilation. As we move on we get a short write-up for each of the twenty-seven tracks, including artists' pictures/ 45 labels etc. With the whole thing dotted with great retro Halloween/ spooky graphics- another well-put-together/ informative inlay booklet.
Things kick off with Merv Griffin’s House Of Horror- this is an instrumental track built around a galloping organ, bounding bass, and gentle snaring drum line- with the whole thing topped off with a selection of creepy sounds & voices- a great introduction to the compilation.
As we move through the first half of the disc we go from clip-clop rhythms & ghoulish doo-wop swing of The Hollywood Flames' “Frankenstein’s Den”. Onto Lon Chaney’s “Monster Holiday” which opens with a blend of bubbling test tube sounds, brooding climbing keys, evil laughs, and spoken word. Before shifting to jiving piano, female back vocals, and Mr Chaney telling the story of Halloween & Santa. Onto bounding rock, organ jive, and wailing-to-maniacal male vocals of Casey Jones And The Governors' “Jack The Ripper”.
In the second half, we move from the rather rapid ‘n’ messy do-wop of The Jay-Hawks' “The Creature( From Outer Space)”. Onto the wavering/ wonky guitar, tinkling keys, smoking/ crude horn bay of the instrumental track “It” by The Regal-Airs. With the disc playing steady tip-tap percussion, paino bound, sassy sax tones, spoken word going-into-a-haunted-house vocals, and coffin creaking open sound effects of Count Stephen’s “Spooky”.
The House Of Horrors is another well-put-together, wonderful sequenced, and entertainingly varied compilation from Bear Family Records. And it would most certainly be a great soundtrack to a retro-centric Halloween party...or anytime you fancy a bit of spooky sonic fun!.