STAFF PICKS: Scary Movie
Each week, staff members compile a themed playlist and spotlight some of their standout picks. For this week, we selected music from horror movie soundtracks and songs that would be a great fit for one.
“Shandy in the Graveyard” by Panchiko and billy woods
By Mateo Christians
With Halloween in pissing distance, everyone needs a good song that feels a little peculiar or strange. Panchiko’s newest album Ginkgo features a collaboration with billy woods, something that no one saw coming. woods is a New York alternative rapper. Many would expect this combination to sound disjointed or bizarre, so it was surprising to hear his sound combined with Panchiko’s indie rock. I originally stumbled on this song while looking through billy woods’ catalogue.
woods’ style of rapping is very unconventional and brings a nostalgic, dark side to the track that contrasts with the melodic guitar and gentle singing. With lyrics like “She left her necklace and never retrieved it” and “The clasp was broken, but you know me, I tend to keep the pieces,” the rapper paints a picture of remorse and yearning. I’d say he more than held his own on this track, and his monotone voice fit very well with the song’s style. Using this track as a catalyst, I opened myself up to a new band who I’d only vaguely heard of before, Panchiko. Many listeners probably had the opposite experience, as Panchiko is more widely known. But, when two different genres fuse to make a great song, it’s great for both audiences. Ultimately, this song is pretty unusual, but I wouldn’t let that stop you from trying it. Besides, what’s Halloween if not at least a little bit strange?
“Ansiedad” by Negativo
By Lindsay Hawes
As long-forgotten Spanish actor Will More embarks on a hedonistic journey throughout the seediest corners of nighttime Madrid, “Ansiedad” by Negativo provides the perfect soundtrack…
Iconic Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar cites Iván Zulueta’s Rapture (1979) as his favorite horror film. While Spanish cinema had begun to explore controversial topics prior to longstanding dictator Fransisco Franco’s death, the end of his reign opened up the floodgates for inventive and non-conformist cinema and music to flourish. This came at the perfect time, as the export of British and American punk music and its accompanying subcultures proliferated Europe soon after.
I first watched this wonderfully low-budget film a few years ago, and loved its eccentricity, casting, and the proto-analog horror aesthetic it had going on. This catchy, albeit very lo-fi post-punk song played towards the end. It contains the slightly baritone vocals, resonant guitar, and breathlessly quick basslines common in post-punk. This song stands out in its playful, thrashing main guitar riff that sticks in your head.
My default reaction was to Shazam it, but I had no luck. Before I dug to find it, it existed as this cool, mysterious relic in my head. It still feels that way, as Negativo’s legacy has been somewhat lost to time. The compilation that contains “Ansiedad,” Negativo (1977-1980) was re-released in 2021 by the independent Spanish label Subterfuge Records. The band remains pretty obscure, but “Ansiedad” is their most-streamed and re-uploaded song thanks to Rapture.
It could just be that the version of “Ansiedad” the film uses is very low-quality, but it sounds a little different from the studio release. The released version sounds cleaner, and I prefer the lo-fi Rapture mix with its intensity and character a little more. Nevertheless, the official track is still pretty good. A comment on a YouTube upload of the studio version asks if the ‘version used in the film’ exists, to which another user replies, ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about’.
I love the long-held tradition of musicians and filmmakers in alternative spaces collaborating with each other– especially when they exist within the same local scene. Iván Zulueta’s collaboration with Negativo conjures an image of the Madrid art scene in the late 70s and early 80s. A piece of the mosaic that makes up art history is preserved.
“Little Lover’s So Polite” by Silversun Pickups
By Natalie Hogan
Horror movies are a year round favorite for me, but they have an extra special feel during October. Like any horror enthusiast, I absolutely love studying the score or soundtrack for every movie I see. While Psycho, Halloween, and The Silence of the Lambs dominate our minds when we think of music from horror films, I believe Jennifer’s Body has one of the all time best horror soundtracks. The film centers on protagonist Needy and her best friend Jennifer, who has been possessed and begins killing her male classmates. The soundtrack enhances the tense high school atmosphere throughout the duration of the movie. Named after a Hole song, it is no surprise this movie contains so many hits. My favorite of them all though, is “Little Lover’s So Polite” by Silversun Pickups.
Released in 2006, just three years before the movie, “Little Lover’s So Polite” is part of the band’s debut album, Carnavas. Silversun Pickups are an alternative rock band from Los Angeles who still make music to this day. Often compared to bands like My Bloody Valentine and The Smashing Pumpkins, their music is peak 2000s alt-rock– perfect for the feel Jennifer’s Body has.
“Little Lover’s So Polite” can be heard as Needy gets ready for the Low Shoulder show at Melody Lane. The track is open to many interpretations, but most people see the song as the story of young lovers in a messy relationship. Although this plays as Needy gets changed with her boyfriend Chip in the room, I think the song lays the ground for what Needy and Jennifer’s codependent and toxic relationship looks like. The name itself also lends a hand to Needy’s “good girl” behavior. While it could easily be passed off as another track to fuel the angsty teen vibe Jennifer’s Body has, I like to think it was picked and placed perfectly to foreshadow what eventually unfolds.
Listen to the full playlist:
Contributors: Anna Brammer-Depuy, Lyle Byrne, Kelsea Clarke, Adrian D’Angelo, Maya Eberlin, Lindsay Hawes, Delaney Heckman, Natalie Hogan, Cara Reddington, Aya Soussi, Gabe Sullo, Lane Webb
Cover photo – Jennifer’s Body
