Going into this song, I was prepared to hear it as a fluffy lightweight throwaway, the musical equivalent of a candy bar, and not like it. I was wrong. LVCRFT’s new Halloween single “Scream for Halloween” is a perfect song for the upcoming witchy season that brings listeners together, thrills us with just enough musical fireworks, and doesn’t waste our time. It’s a professionally packaged entertainment bonanza that doesn’t insult your intelligence and shows genuine craftsmanship every step, or note, of the way.
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We should expect as much from the musical forces behind the project. Evan “Kidd” Bogart, Peter Wade, and Melissa Warner have glowing creative credits between the three of them with credits including work with Beyonce, Mark Ronson, Rhianna, and scores of other modern pop goliaths. They’re Grammy award winners and command universal respect from their peers. This is a bit of an imaginative vacation for them, I am sure, but that doesn’t mean they don’t bring the same skills to bear that distinguish their work from those aforementioned heavyweights.
There’s plenty of evidence for it. There’s fiery musicianship in evidence during the song’s second half, it has an irresistible tempo that compels listeners to get out of their seats and move, and the dueling vocals, provided by emcee Skeleton Sam and The Remains, are highlights of the performance. It’s a pop gem, even more so than a celebration of Halloween’s ghoulish delights, and the lyrical run-through of various Halloween imagery laced with a surprising amount of attitude will delight listeners of every ilk.
It doesn’t hang around too long either. Less than three minutes long, “Scream for Halloween” comes to the party and doesn’t overstay its welcome. It’s designed as an audience participation number, as well, and live performances should be quite a hoot. The energy present in this tune from beginning to end will only gain added power in a concert setting. It has a theatrical tint, as well, that will spark the listener’s imagination and there isn’t a soul alive, I believe, who won’t recognize its common frame of reference.
LVCRFT cull the single from their forthcoming fifth release entitled V and it’s a harbinger of great things to come. These releases from LVCRFT are becoming a staple musical tradition of this time of the year and it’s obvious that the creative team behind the single takes that mandate seriously. This isn’t some tossed-off novelty tune. They’ve put a lot of effort and thought into delivering a song worthy of the holiday and you finish the cut eager to hear what else the upcoming collection has in store.
Let’s hope they keep coming back for years to come. Halloween is a holiday that brings people from a wide variety of traditions and backgrounds together under a common cause and we need that more than ever. LVCRFT is performing a service and the bonus that they happen to be entertaining as hell doing is the icing on an especially delectable cake, so throw your worries aside and enjoy.
Heather Savage