Dead Coyote - APPARITIONATA (Self-Released)

If your favorite music genre happens to be the incredibly specific and narrow realm of horror musicals like Rocky Horror Picture Show or Little Shop of Horrors it can be difficult to find any newer entries to the canon. Thankfully, Portland’s self-dubbed spooky disco group Dead Coyote have a new four song ep entitled APPARITIONATA that might do more than a little to quench your thirst. The band calls the EP a “Gothic Dance Poperetta.” and it tells the story of a “a foolish ghost with a broken heart.” Like Rocky Horror, however, the story isn’t strictly important, because it’s extremely camp, over the top, and a ton of fun.

Interestingly, although the genre often lends itself to 50s Doo Wop and 60s girl group pastiches, here the band combines the dark circus of Danny Elfman with subtle synthpop touches that call to mind a little bit of Tears for Fears or Human League. The whole EP is theatrical yet wonderfully dancey, and on “Lazy Ghost” the song devolves into what sounds like Saturday Night Fever in Hell as the backup singers chant, “Dance until you’re dead.” APPARITIONATA is definitely worth checking out, especially because there is nothing else like it being made now, and the band even created a music video to go along with all four tracks.