Ahead of their forthcoming European tour with Ghost, All Them Witches have released a standalone single entitled “1X1” – available now on Bandcamp and YouTube. No word on if it’ll make its way to streaming services.

Consequence of Sound premiered the track and had a few insightful details to share. The track was captured at The Church in Woodbury, TN and was recorded by the leanest version of the band yet; the trio of Charles Michael Parks Jr. on bass, Ben McLeod on guitar, and Robby Staebler on drums. When asked if this track hints toward a new full-length on the horizon, Michael Parks Jr. had this to say:

“We’re always looking to put out a new album,” he admits. “That’s always been the ATW battle cry. The next album will come out whenever it comes out, but I guess if we’re writing songs, we must be gearing up for a new album.”

While that’s not exactly a concrete release date, it’s a pretty safe bet that All Them Witches is most certainly working their way towards a larger release sometime in the future. In the meantime, “1X1” is a big, heavy, riffer; best enjoyed at the loudest of volumes.

Sweeping instrumentalists Hammock are set to release their full-length album Silencia in mid-November. It’s certain to be a collection of grand, lush, meditative compositions and it’s an impressive testament to the bands consistent output – as it follows 2018’s Universalis and 2017’s Mysterium. One new full-length album a year is no small feat.

What up’s the ante even more is the fact that every month during 2019 the band has been releasing long-form pieces as part of a living album entitled Undercurrents. Each track on the album averages about 20 minutes in length, giving plenty of time for the ambient scores to drift along and pace themselves as they swell and compound on themselves over time.

The tenth installment is, appropriately, entitled Undercurrent 10 (Halloween Is of the Devil). An airy guitar repeats itself over a bed of lumbering drums and dark resonating tones while various mysterious flourishes weave in and out, eventually culminating in . As with all of the offerings of Undercurrents (and most of Hammock’s catalog in general), the pace is intentional metered, asking the listener to have patience and immerse yourself in the slow changes.

It’s unclear if the track title is meant to directly tie with the music itself or if it’s just a clever nod to the fact that it was released in October but the sprawling nature of the song paired with the dark elements works quite well as a soundtrack for your All Hallow’s Eve activities.

One of the most rewarding activities we partake in here at We Own This Town is browsing through the #Nashville tag on Bandcamp looking for music that hasn’t made its way across our radar. One such recent discovery is this five-song instrumental EP from Children of the Night, an absolutely perfect group of songs for Halloween.

The compositions within are delicate but foreboding. They are both lonesome and tortured. They are hinting at a narrative but devoid of specifics. Admittedly, these descriptors sound over the top and esoteric but after spending time with the offerings, they aren’t inaccurate.

Each track has its own unique attribute – warbled vocals on “Axiom of an Unsound Mind”, backwards masking on “The Silent Chamer”, the crashing guitars of “Adrift at Dark” – but they are a cohesive whole strung together with eerie piano, atmospheric keyboards and subtle strings.

The rewards of Bandcamp browsing can also come with a downside. Namely, there’s zero information about this project beyond the songs themselves. The cover art cites a “Spirit Racer Records” which, with some Googling, will lead you to Richmond, VA band Those Maniac Seas and its drummer / now-Nashville resident Daniel Medley but these ties are tenuous at best. The mystery of proper credit for Children of the Night remains unknown but, frankly, it works quite well as an anonymous release.

Truth be told, we’ve posted a review of Curse Walk the past four years and the album itself celebrated it’s ten year anniversary this year. The reason for this repeated critique is that this sole release from Shaboi has stood the test of time in a way that deserves recognition. Sure, when you put out a Halloween themed album you’re really only subject to critical listening during one month of the year but the fact that these songs haven’t worn themselves out even during a 31-day rotation is impressive.

Aside from the small window of listening time, the perseverance of Curse Walk is in part due to two primary factors. First, the lyrics of the songs don’t dwell on anything the least bit current or of the moment. Songs may get as specific as mentioning “The Gulch” but even that could be generic depending on where you live. Secondly, the album refuses to let itself be categorized into a particular genre. There are a hand full of hip-hop tracks, some country ballads and some Ghostbuster-inspired instrumentals. This eclecticism would likely be harmful for a non-Halloween artist but it’s precisely what makes Curse Walk work best.

Year over year, different songs stand out depending on where you, the listener, are at. Personally, the first few years I sat with this album I couldn’t wait to replay “Transylvania `88”, the Castlevania sampling rap song filled with hilarious voices but these days I find myself beaming with delight for “All Saints Day” – the R&B ballad sung from a lonesome ghost.

The short run time (sub 30 minutes), intentionally funny lyrics and nods to other musical genres (see the “Aw Yeah!” Run DMC nod in “Undead Headcheck”) all contribute to what is, without hesitation, Nashville’s finest Halloween album.

Surprise new single from Anchor Thieves dropped today. The lead of two tracks, “Psychopomp”, may sound familiar thanks to their Q Session performance of it back in June. The proper studio version does sound remarkably similar to that live version; complete with intricate drum flourishes, pitch perfect falsetto and layered harmonies but the song expands and decays towards the end, giving it a new life of its own. All and all, it’s a truly impressive testament to the band’s live chops to keep them so damn similar and, frankly, it’s a great song either way.

The second track, “Long Way Out,” tells the tale of the impact of a breakup through ghosting – no phone calls, no texts, just silence. The lyrics and vocal delivery manage to capture a rare blend of vulnerability and spite. There’s intense heartache here but it’s driven by the frustration of a lack of courage to actually do the deed. “Psychopomp” will draw you in but I’m willing to bet that “Long Way Out” lands in your Most Played playlist.

The two songs are available now on Bandcamp and the band plays Little Harpeth Brewing on Nov 16th, 2019.