HALLOWEEN BOOM BOX: Midnight Syndicate’s “Live Shadows”
Welcome to the latest edition of the HALLOWEEN BOOM BOX, just in time for the 2021 Halloween season. For this one, I am once again talking about Midnight Syndicate, one of the originators of atmospheric music for haunted houses, both professional and amateur. The latest release, entitled “Live Shadows,” is actually one of my favorites and one that I find myself listening to often.
While writing I like to have music playing in the background. I also find that Midnight Syndicate often provides that music for me. Not only does it get me in the mood to write, but hearing the tracks helps me in planning for what tracks I may want to use for the coming yard haunt season.
Whether you are a seasoned fan of Midnight Syndicate or just discovering them, “Live Shadows” is a great album. You may recognize many of the tracks but believe me you haven’t heard them until you listen to them recorded live. One thing that I found, that really impressed me, is how much depth to the music can be heard in these recordings. Not that the studio recordings lack the depth, it is just a whole new listening experience with these tracks.
I think “Live Shadows” would be a great introduction to a new listener. It’s a nice variety of their old material, giving you a true feel for what Midnight Syndicate has to offer. I found it interesting that a crowd is not heard on most of the recordings. Even clapping at the end of the song doesn’t happen much. At first I wasn’t sure how I felt about this. After thinking about it, I realized that I preferred it this way, simply because if I were to use it at Halloween for a skit, the cheers would be a distraction.
To order “Live Shadows,” or any other Midnight Syndicate releases, just visit the Midnight Syndicate Store. If you would like to read my other music reviews and blogs, visit my HALLOWEEN BOOM BOX page.
~David Albaugh
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