Skeleton House
Palomino, 2018
8/10
An Asheville, North Carolina outfit who have probably worn out the grooves out on their copies of Hatful Of Hollow, this sophomore album from Crooked Ghost brings us back to the early days of post-punk that left an indelible mark on music being made today.
“Body In Stars” starts the album with mystery and mood being key in the hazy, dream punk setting, where wordless vocals blend well into the shoegazey delivery, and “Sleepwalker” continues the creative landscape with post-punk nods radiating from the intricate and busy instrumentation that takes heavy nods to the ‘80s.
In the middle, “Catch Fire” builds into a textured album highlight where there’s no shortage of melody as it steers closer to pop territor, while “Witch Heart” displays incredible drumming amid a dynamic execution of playful yet somewhat intimidating song craft.
“Roadkill” and “Skeleton House” finish off the listen, as the former brings a darker spirit with some goth tendencies, and the latter uses keyboards strategically alongside layered vocals for a mesmerizing exit to a very well thought out record.
A listen that certainly isn’t afraid of coloring outside the lines and is perfectly fine leaving an impression with its nostalgic gloom, if names like Robert Smith, Morrissey and Ian McCulloch mean anything to you, you simply should be immersing yourself in the ominous beauty that is Crooked Ghost.
Travels well with: The Smiths- God Save The Queen; The Cure- The Head On The Door