It’s almost Halloween again! Fuck yes. It also happens to be my brithday today. I am 29 and still listening to Black Flag. Double fuck yes to that.

Listening link, track list and lots of scary words after the jump!

I know last year I had some songs that were unquestionably scary but this year, seeing Toad The Wet Sprocket may cause some confusion. Just play the first 15 seconds and you’ll get it. It’s like spooky shoegaze…sort of. Plus, I used to listen to that song at this shitty data entry job that involved me combing through VA medical records for 9 hours straight. Reverb + endless Vietnam inflicted side effects and injustices = straight fodder for nightmares.

If you haven’t heard that particular Bowie song it’s probably because it’s on a really left field album called Outside. It’s a concept album about a serial killer and a quite Britishly cool detective that’s hunting down a performance artist named Ramona A. Stone. Embarrassingly enough, my friends still call me Ramona sometimes. Man, I thought I was so fucking cool in high school when I painted all those nudes with poems under a pseudonym. Nonetheless, it’s a great song and looking back, the only track that actually contains a melody on that album.

Another gem is the Boy George track, “Somebody To Love Me.” It’s on the new Mark Ronson and The Business International, Record Collection album. First of all, it’s Boy George. Sad meets scary in a slippery, wicked funnel of eye-shadowed bizzaro. Then Ronson throws in that toy piano. Really? Break my heart and scare the shit out of me all at once? How much can an old lady like me handle? “Nobody’s gonna save my life…” Shoot me in the face and throw my ashes among your purple velvet melancholy, sir.

Yes, I think that Al Green song about Jesus is scary. He’s waiting? Like, behind the couch to surprise me or something? Creepy. Although, he is arguably the best ghost ever.

Lastly, if you aren’t already familiar with Freddie “Gangsta” Gibbs, you have some serious homework to do. The man is here, he’s got a story to tell and it ain’t about Bentleys. He’s from Gary, Indiana. A place they call Scary Gary for short. FTW.

Listen here!

P.S. The Dukes of Stratosphere is the band XTC masquerading as a 60s psychedelic garage band on obligatory PCP. Good to know if you’re into trivia night at your local pub or need to impress a girl or something. You’re welcome.