To the casual onlooker, horror and bubblegum pop may appear to be diametrically opposed, but pop music has always had a clear place in horror cinema, from the involvement of Huey Lewis & The News in American Psycho to Oingo Boingo's No One Lives Forever being a prominent part of Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, and (Don't Fear) The Reaper getting featured in a substantial number of horror flicks over the years. All at the same, the heavily horror themed Misfits have always created a lasting impression with their sturdy pop musicality, pretty much inventing horror punk. Consequently, it seems more fitting to conclude that horror and pop music not only aren't disparate meanings, but can be quite supplementary to one another when used rightly.
We've pointed out previously how effectively the Misfits and Ramones influences are incorporated into the songwriting of Fascinations Grand Chorus, Stephanie Cupo and Andrew Pierce's Jersey City, NJ indie bubblegum pop/rock experiment. After a string of proper releases, the band has spent the last couple of years focusing on their horror project, which they've been revealing in controlled amounts. Terror in the Night, the band's entire album, includes 24 tracks and offers a cinematic audial experience, composed of full songs and small intervallic instrumental pieces.
Borrowing inspiration and a narrative from the great era of slasher films, FGC say that Terror in the Night is "brill building pop meets I.R.S Records meets Friday the 13th Part 2. Or The Prowler. Or The Mutilator. Or Killer Party."
With some songs taking a more power pop heading and the majority of them following an ultra tuneful and memorable songwriting path similar to sixties pop, bubblegum pop, and surf rock, the duo pulls off a pretty adventurous and exciting project more than adequately. FGC's songs excel on the instrumental front, as they always do, and are endearingly harmonious and melodic, yet, this time they share stories of terror, suspense, and anguish in the most genial and earworming way. Fascinations Grand Chorus deliver a solid, fun, and fascinating album of lovely analog sound and excellent aesthetics, with the sounds of Phil Spektor and Joe Meek in mind and worn delightedly on their sleeves.
Terror in the Night was recorded to tape in Jersey City, NJ, produced by Dennis Pierce and Fascinations Grand Chorus.
Band photos by Bob Sweeney
