Album Review: "Rock N Roll Ghoul" by Mad Tea Party

Rock N Roll Ghoul is Mad Tea Party's 2nd Halloween EP

Mad Tea Party have made it pretty clear that Halloween is their favorite holiday.  With last year's "Zombie Boogie" and this year's follow up with "Rock n Roll Ghoul", the band has been putting out Holiday EPs pretty frequently.  Mad Tea Party is a rock duo based out of Asheville, North Carolina comprised of Jason Krekel and Ami Worthen that boasts a unique blend of vintage garage rock and even doo-wop vocal harmonies combined with their "uke-abilly" base.  On "Rock n Roll Ghoul" the band brings out an assortment of garage rock/pop songs that leave you wishing it lasted just a bit longer, topping out at a little under ten minutes for the four track EP.

The title track immediately draws you into the record with a fast paced punk-esque sound to it with screaming backup vocals to end the song with.  The song, much like the rest of the record, doesn't slack off one bit.  Mad Tea Party could have easily thrown together a few songs to simply put out a Halloween EP but you can tell that the band really had fun with the record and by the end of your listen, you will too.  "Possessed" is the longest track at 3:05, a song that's a bit poppier than the rest of the record, Possessed still brings a vintage rock sound to the table.  The track that stands out the most is definitely "Frankenstein's Den", a cover of The Hollywood Flames.  Frankenstein's Den blends the uke-abilly sound that Mad Tea Party has become known across the region for while bringing doo-wop vocal harmonies to top it off.

Mad Tea Party didn't disappoint with this Holiday EP and hopefully they continue to churn them out.  If you're looking for a fun, quick listen through then definitely check the record out on their bandcamp at http://themadteaparty.bandcamp.com/ or even better check them out live on some of their EP release shows and pick up a "Rock n Roll Ghoul" vinyl 7"!

EP Release Shows:
October 2 - The Pour House - Raleigh, NC (with the Straight 8's)
October 15 - Stella Blue - Asheville, NC (with Mark Sultan)
October 16 - Double Door - Charlotte, NC
October 16 - The Cave - Chapel Hill, NC (part of Blackbeard's Lost Weekend)
October 29 - Uketoberfest - Aberdeen, NC