Spoopy
Spoopy | ||||
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EP by | ||||
Released | October 11, 2019 | |||
Length | 15:43 | |||
Label | Producer Entertainment Group | |||
Sharon Needles chronology | ||||
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Spoopy is the debut
Background and composition
Spoopy is Sharon Needles' first EP, and follows the release of her three studio albums PG-13 (2013), Taxidermy (2015), and Battle Axe (2017).[1] The EP features six cover versions of songs with a Halloween theme. She has described it as "a Halloween gift" to her fans, and said, "As a writer, one truly never trusts their own truth. But in covers one can find themself lost in the words of others."[2][3] Urban Dictionary defines the slang term "spoopy" as "something that is funny and spooky at the same time".[4] Sharon Needles said of the title:
If you've never heard the word 'spoopy,' you must be living under a rock, or you're over the age of 40. The kids rely on misspellings of words. I think [this one] comes from a misspelling of a Halloween decoration that was at Target, where instead of a K, they put a P, and it became 'spoopy,' like 'creppy.' There are these buzzwords in pop culture, and I think they're completely stupid... Spoopy makes me laugh so much. It's a word that connects me with this newfangled thing called social media. The new medium of celebrity and exposure is in these kids' cell phones, so I thought, why not meet them halfway?[5]
She has also said, "if [Urban Dictionary's definition of 'spoopy'] doesn't sum up someone like me, I don't know what does".[5]
A cover of Bobby Pickett's novelty song "Monster Mash" (1962) serves as the opening track. Sharon Needles has said, "'The 'Monster Mash' is not only an iconic, nostalgic, and classic halloween rock n' roll jam, but it speaks to the child in everyone that loved knocking on a door or hitting a doorbell and saying the sweet words of 'trick or treat."[3] Following "Monster Mash" are covers of AC/DC's "Highway to Hell" (1979), the Classics IV song "Spooky" (1967), Sheb Wooley's novelty song "Purple People Eater" (1958), "Devil with the Blue Dress On" (1964), and Rockwell's "Somebody's Watching Me" (1984). Spoopy is approximately 15 minutes, 43 seconds in length.[6]
Release and promotion
Spoopy was released for digital download by the record label Producer Entertainment Group on October 11, 2019.[7][8][9]
Music video
The
Alaska Thunderfuck's appearance in the video was inspired by her portrayal of
Critical reception
Spoopy was met with generally positive reviews from music critics. Cook wrote, "On her latest album ... Needles has taken some of our favorite classic Halloween tracks and redone them in her own unique style, putting an even spookier take on tracks that are patented Sharon Needles, along with some that are completely unexpected gems." He said that she "slinks into [the opening track] seamlessly" and called the rest of the EP a "perfect melding of our favorite Queen of all things spooky along with Halloween classics", including "some interesting and definitely on brand tracks".[10] Cook continued, stating that Sharon Needles "completely shreds" "Highway to Hell", calling her performance "a strong and welcome departure for this always daring artist". He said "Devil with the Blue Dress On" "would make original artist Mitch Ryder proud". Of "Somebody's Watching Me", Cook opined that Sharon Needles "[turned] the pop anthem into a Halloween anthem for the next generation".[10]
Pride.com's Taylor Henderson described Spoopy as "eerie" and "spooky", and included "Monster Mash" on the "Bops 4 Gays" playlist of new music by LGBTQ+ artists.
Track listing
Track listing adapted from AllMusic and Apple Music[6][15]
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Monster Mash" | 2:51 |
2. | "Highway to Hell" | 3:06 |
3. | "Spooky" | 2:35 |
4. | "Purple People Eater" | 2:23 |
5. | "Devil with the Blue Dress On" | 1:58 |
6. | "Somebody's Watching Me" | 2:50 |
Total length: | 15:43 |
References
- ^ Schiller, Rebecca (October 23, 2017). "9 Times Sharon Needles Referenced Pop Culture In Her Videos: Andy Warhol, The Black Dahlia & More". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 2, 2017. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
- ^ a b c Rudolph, Christopher (October 11, 2019). "You're Invited to Sharon Needles and Alaska's 'Monster Mash' Beach Party". NewNowNext. Logo TV. Archived from the original on April 4, 2020. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
- ^ a b c Henderson, Taylor (October 11, 2019). "Sharon Needles Leads the 'Monster Mash' on Eerie New EP Spoopy". Pride.com. Here Media. Archived from the original on December 10, 2019. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
- ^ Tait, Amelia (October 26, 2017). "The origins of "spoopy", the internet's favourite Halloween word?". New Statesman. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
- ^ from the original on July 15, 2020. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
- ^ a b "Sharon Needles: Spoopy". AllMusic. Archived from the original on February 14, 2020. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
- from the original on October 22, 2019. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
- ^ Bellamey, Alex (October 23, 2019). "Trouble Getting in the Halloween Spirit? Get Spoopy!". The WOW Report. World of Wonder. Archived from the original on October 17, 2020. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
- ^ @sharon_needles (October 7, 2019). "That's right boys and ghouls, my Halloween EP, 'Spoopy', will be available everywhere on October 11th! Pre-Save it today, or else..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ ISSN 1096-0058. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
- Idolator. Hive Media. Archivedfrom the original on October 17, 2020. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
- ^ Henderson, Taylor (October 24, 2019). "Bops 4 Gays: Kesha & Big Freedia Raise Hell & More Queer Music". Pride.com. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
- Yahoo! Entertainment. Yahoo!. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
- ^ "It's time for some chilling Hitchcock movies, a Peanuts gang classic and more of this week's best in pop culture". Yahoo! Entertainment. October 23, 2019. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
- ^ "Spoopy – EP by Sharon Needles". Apple Music. Archived from the original on October 17, 2020. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
External links
- 'Spoopy' Teaser on YouTube
- Sharon Needles – Monster Mash (Official Music Video) on YouTube
- d'Souza, Shaad (October 17, 2019). "Current Mood: Sharon Needles picks the spookiest Halloween songs". The Fader.