STEPHIN MERRITT & THE GOTHIC ARCHIES

I've written about Stephin Merritt as a Magnetic Field and a 6th, but not as a Gothic Archie. Let's remedy that, shall we?

The Gothic Archies released The Tragic Treasury: Music for "A Series of Unfortunate Events" on October 10. 13 of the 15 tunes serve as theme songs corresponding to the 13 installments of the Lemony Snicket book series. Creatively-speaking, this is a match made in kismet Heaven. (Perhaps the only way that it could have been better is if Mr. Merritt had collaborated with Danny Elfman, but why split hairs/look a gift horse where the sun don't shine? No reason at all.)

Merritt describes the Gothic Archies as his "Gothic rock-bubblegum pop band," and distinguishes it from the Magnetic Fields by saying that, with TGA, "any glimmer of hope is absolutely extinguished." Well, you kinda gotta love that. And you kinda gotta love a song title like "Walking the Gargoyle." Alas, I didn't love the SONG as much as the title, but you can decide for yourself by clicking on over to The Rich Girls Are Weeping. The crazy ladies in residence will hook you up.

Oct 18 7:00P/Margaret Mitchell House & Museum/Chapter 11 Books/Atlanta, GA
Oct 20 5:00P/Barnes and Noble/Dallas/Frisco/Dallas, TX
Oct 21 3:00P/Hastings/Waxahachie/Dallas, TX
Oct 23 6:00P/Book Soup/Los Angeles Sinai Temple/Los Angeles, CA
Oct 24 7:00P/Mrs. Nelsons Toy and Book Shop/Hinds Pavillion/Pomona, CA
Oct 26 6:00P/University Bookstore/Town Hall Seattle/Seattle, Washington
Oct 28 2:00P/Books, Inc./Capuchino High School/San Bruno, CA
Oct 31 5:30P/The Michigan Theater/Ann Arbor, MI

(If you're going to the Ann Arbor show, drop me a line. We can meet up for some vodka and fries.)

[MP3] "This Abyss"

[MP3] "Crows"