Halloween Carols
October 16, 2009 by Erin Tales
Filed under Halloween
A few days ago I received two Halloween CDs – A Broom with a View and Vampire Empire from the Halloween Carols. These CDs are performed and sung by Kristen Lawrence. Unlike other Halloween CDs, you won’t hear The Monster Mash or Time Warp on these CDs. Nor is it a CD full of creepy sounds, monsters wailing, ghosts, booing, screams, cackles and more. This one is MUSIC.You see, just like there are Christmas Carols for Christmas, Kristen has written and performed historically-based Halloween music for this spooky holiday. Kristen has written approximately 60 songs and is releasing them in batches of … thirteen, of course! In fact, as my husband and I were listening to Vampire Empire and he realized we were on track 12 – he asked how many songs there were. I told him I bet they all have 13. I was right. Mwa-ha-ha!
My husband loved the music – he is going to bring it to his office to play there. The music is eerie – but not “corny” or trite. You definitely get a “Halloween” feel when you listen to the organ and melody. There are some recognizable “Halloween” sounds that accompany some of the songs – most noticeable to me was a cat that was meowing. Amazing how a cat can really add to the music!
And what songs can you expect on the CD? Here is what you can expect:
A Broom With a View
1. Mostly Ghostly – Entrance Music (2:20) – A ghost bemoans the lack of physical brains, wailing with a massive pipe organ.
2. A Broom with a View (5:16) – A witch is out on a joy ride on her broom. Organ, piano and strings set this music ablaze.
3. Souling Song – All Hallows Version (7:56) – Traditional English melody and lyrics about the practice of souling – offering prayers for people’s beloved departed in exchange for soul cakes. Cathedral bells and organ ring out.
4. Souling Song – Sohmain Version (7:10) – This song describes the ancient Celtic celebration of Sahmain, where the dead visit the earth, accept food offerings and share their magic. Drums, organs, electric guitar, bass and voices dance together.
5. Dark Glass (5:42) – Written based on a dream Kristen had – windy sounds and distant voices are set against an organ and strings.
6. Cats in the Catacombs (4:19) – A xylophone-bone-clicking romp with organ, piano and a feline-esque cello.
7. Sleeping Dust (“The Death Lullaby”) – Ashes to Ashes Version (5:58) – A lullaby about death, with an organ, piano, celesta and humming.
8. Flappy Bat (5:10) – A carol’s vocal duet and patterns in the strings sound like the flapping wings of bats.
9. Vampire Empire (6:07) – A vampire invites a mortal to become undead, along with a majestic organ, harpsichord and heartbeat-like drums.
10. A Broom with a View – Instrumental Version (4:19)
11. Cats in the Catacombs – Instrumental Version (6:02)
12. Vampire Empire – Instrumental Version (6:02)
13. Mostly Ghostly – Exit Music (2:20)
Vampire Empire
1. Vampire Empire – radio edit (3:58)
2. Souling Song – Sahmain Version – radio edit (4:38)
3. A Broom with a View – radio edit (3:54)
4. Cats in the Catacombs – radio edit (3:50)
5. Blood Waltz – radio edit (3:59)
6. Arachnitect – radio edit (4:38)
7. Ghost of John – bare bones version (4:40)
8. Vampire Empire – instrumental version (6:06)
9. A Broom with a View – instrumental version (5:16)
10. Cats in the Catacombs – instrumental version (4:20)
11. Blood Waltz – instrumental version (5:07)
12. Dark Glass – instrumental version (5:41)
13. Mostly Ghostly – exit music (2:18)
You can buy A Broom with a View as a CD or the album as an MP3 Download. The CD is $13.95. The MP3 Album is $11.95.
Overall, I love it and look forward to playing it every October!
One buzz reader will have an opportunity to win A Broom with a View.
MANDATORY/REQUIRED ENTRY:
Visit Halloween Carols and tell me something you learned from her site!
EXTRA ENTRIES:
To receive these extra opportunities for entries, you must fulfill the first REQUIRED entry. But for extra entries, you can:
- Add the Mom Buzz to your Twitter and Tweet the contest. Leave your Tweet Link!
- Blog about the contest – add a link to the Mom Buzz and the Sponsor
- Add the Mom Buzz button to your site OR add the Mom Buzz to your blog roll.
- Subscribe to the Mom Buzz via e-mail or RSS feed. (See right sidebar)
- Enter the GE appliance give-away – you can do this daily!
- Follow Halloween Carols on Twitter and tell them the song you are most excited to hear!
- Follow a Broom with a View on Twitter and tell them you saw them on the Mom Buzz!
- Become a FaceBook fan of Halloween Carols and tell them you came from the Mom Buzz!
- Add one of Kristen’s YouTube videos to your site! She has a whole list of possibilities on her site!
Contest ends 10/25/09. Please refer to complete contest rules. The entries listed above are the ONLY entries for this contest. Winners will be notified by e-mail (if supplied in the entry or on profile page), as well as on the Winner’s Wall.
* They are requesting that you encourage your readers to follow them on Twitter @HalloweenCarols & @ABroomWithAView and become fans on their facebook page. (not required)
I had never heard the song “Ghost of John” (which was inspiration behind Kristen’s song writing). I learned the words to it on her site:
Have you heard of the Ghost of John?
Long, white bones and the rest all gone!
Oooooooh!
Wouldn’t it be chilly with no skin on?
I subscribe to the Mom Buzz via e-mail.
I entered the GE appliance giveaway today. Thanks!
Kristen is a classically trained organist – this sounds like a great addition to Halloween!
I found out “A Broom With A View” is now online for sale and she is multi-talented. It has some very short site pages.
entered ge giveaway
email subscriber
button
someofmywinnings.blogspot.com
follow halloween carols in twitter/dahliamomma
Exploring Kristen website, I discovered a link to her myspace page and found out she has 8059 myspace friends. How’s that for random trivia? Listening to her music, you can definitely tell the influence of Danny Elfman. Kristen’s music is almost like a lost soundtrack to Nightmare Before Christmas. Very cool. Thank you for the chance to win.
I learned Kristen grew up in Orange County, CA and was a big fan of Disney’s Haunted Mansion.
She studied a semester in Vienna, Austria in the fall of 1995.
I agree with Kristen that Memorial Day shouldn’t be the only day we go visit cemetaries. In my lifetime, funerals have often been a joy because I get to visit with extended family!
Halloween really does need carols, and with an Elfman hue? I’m so excited! thanks for the opportunity!
I learned her song-“Blood Waltz” – a lush, rich vampire waltz ,is one I’d enjoy. jelly15301@gmail.com
Yahoo reader subscriber. jelly15301@gmail.com
Entered the GE contest. jelly15301@gmail.com
The artist is a classically trained organist!
Kristen started piano lessons at age 7 and organ lessons at age 12 (which she took in a cathedral, I bet that was awesome!)
I’m an email subscriber!
I entered the GE Appliance give-away
I learned that they are based on a bit of Halloween history and lore
ardelong2(at)gmail(dot)com
Her music also celebrates the fall season
I’m a subscriber
I entered GE appliance
She has over 60 carols written and am recording and releasing them in batches of 13.
I like that they offer a free download. Thank you
I am an email subscriber. Thank you
In the fall of 1995, she studied a semester in Vienna, Austria.
http://twitter.com/klp1965/status/5156886390
subscriber
have your button http://klp1965.blogspot.com/
i learned how she reworks song chaninging tempos ect. cd sounds like fun would love to win
She is a organist who was trained with classical music.
Kristen is a classically trained organist.
She likes the stuff Danny Elfman gave us, but has her own style that she’d like to give us.
The Halloween Carols are a collection I have written for the purpose of celebrating Halloween and the fall season. They are each based on a bit of Halloween history and lore. To date, I have over 60 carols written and am recording and releasing them in batches of 13.
I follow and tweeted – http://twitter.com/choochoo428/status/5161827173
email subscriber
I entered the GE giveaway!
I follow Halloween Carols on twitter and tweeted them – http://twitter.com/choochoo428/status/5161812820
entered the GE giveaway
Kristen grew up in Orange County, CA..