Spoopy

''Spoopy'' is the debut extended play (EP) by American drag performer Sharon Needles, released through Producer Entertainment Group on October 11, 2019. It includes six covers of songs with a Halloween theme. The music video for " Monster Mash", released on the same day, features an appearance by drag performer Alaska Thunderfuck, Sharon Needles' ex-partner. The EP received generally positive reviews from music critics, who appreciated the collection's theme and reinterpretations.

Background and composition

''Spoopy'' is Sharon Needles' first EP, and follows the release of her three studio albums '' PG-13'' (2013), ''Taxidermy'' (2015), and ''Battle Axe'' (2017). The EP features six cover versions of songs with a Halloween theme. She has described it as "a Halloween gift" to her fans, and said, "As a writer, one truly never trusts their own truth. But in covers one can find themself lost in the words of others." Urban Dictionary defines the slang term "spoopy" as "something that is funny and spooky at the same time". Sharon Needles said of the title:

She has also said, "if rban Dictionary's definition of 'spoopy'doesn't sum up someone like me, I don't know what does".

A cover of Bobby Pickett's novelty song " Monster Mash" (1962) serves as the opening track. Sharon Needles has said, "The 'Monster Mash' is not only an iconic, nostalgic, and classic halloween rock n' roll jam, but it speaks to the child in everyone that loved knocking on a door or hitting a doorbell and saying the sweet words of ' trick or treat." Following "Monster Mash" are covers of AC/DC's " Highway to Hell" (1979), the Classics IV song " Spooky" (1967), Sheb Wooley's novelty song "Purple People Eater" (1958), " Devil with the Blue Dress On" (1964), and Rockwell's " Somebody's Watching Me" (1984). ''Spoopy'' is approximately 15 minutes, 43 seconds in length.

Release and promotion

''Spoopy'' was released for digital download by the record label Producer Entertainment Group on October 11, 2019.

Music video

The music video for "Monster Mash", also released on October 11, was directed by Brad Hammer, with Aurora Sexton serving as art director. It features Sharon Needles' ex-partner and fellow ''RuPaul's Drag Race'' contestant, Alaska Thunderfuck. The video was filmed "in a retro and classic pinup style", according to ''Instinct''s Michael Cook, and sees Sharon Needles host "her own psycho beach party complete with goth partygoers ndclassic monster masks". She said of the video, "In the '50s and '60s, even Hollywood revived the 1930s Universal monsters ... so I wanted to merge that resurgence and nostalgic feeling of Universal monsters with a juxtaposition of an Annette Funicello/Rock Hudson, G-rated, feel-good beach movie. Those concepts melded together ... But, it's all about three things: rock & roll, nostalgia, and Halloween."

Alaska Thunderfuck's appearance in the video was inspired by her portrayal of Bette Davis in a spoof of the 1962 film '' What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?'' during an episode of '' All-Stars 2''. Sharon Needles considers Alaska's involvement an Easter egg, explaining, "If you remember, at the end of ''Baby Jane'', Bette Davis drags Joan Crawford to the beach and orders two strawberry ice creams. So, I have the scene of me walking over Alaska with the two strawberry ice cream cones. To make it hammy, we stepped away from the visuals of ''What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?'' d went full-on '' Mommie Dearest''."

''Entertainment Weekly'' Joey Nolfi said the video has an "odd (yet satisfying) mix of old Hollywood aesthetics (from crafting an Annette Funicello-themed beach fantasy to dressing hunky bodies with classic Universal monster masks)". He called Alaska's appearance "hilarious". Mike Wass of Idolator said the video sees Sharon Needles "doing her ghoulish thing at the beach", flirting with "ripped, speedo-wearing monsters" and impersonating Pamela Anderson's "iconic ... slow motion, boob-heaving run" as the fictional character C. J. Parker on the television series ''Baywatch''. Wass opined, "In other words, it's an absolute must-see." ''NewNowNext'' Christopher Rudolph called the video "down right 'SPOOPY!

Critical reception

''Spoopy'' was met with generally positive reviews from music critics. Cook wrote, "On her latest album  ... Needles has taken some of our favorite classic Halloween tracks and redone them in her own unique style, putting an even spookier take on tracks that are patented Sharon Needles, along with some that are completely unexpected gems." He said that she "slinks into he opening trackseamlessly" and called the rest of the EP a "perfect melding of our favorite Queen of all things spooky along with Halloween classics", including "some interesting and definitely on brand tracks". Cook continued, stating that Sharon Needles "completely shreds" "Highway to Hell", calling her performance "a strong and welcome departure for this always daring artist". He said "Devil with the Blue Dress On" "would make original artist Mitch Ryder proud". Of "Somebody's Watching Me", Cook opined that Sharon Needles " urnedthe pop anthem into a Halloween anthem for the next generation".

Pride.com's Taylor Henderson described ''Spoopy'' as "eerie" and "spooky", and included "Monster Mash" on the "Bops 4 Gays" playlist of new music by LGBTQ+ artists. Lyndsey Parker of Yahoo! Entertainment said the EP sees Sharon Needles "putting her black-fingernailed touch on creepy-crawly classics" and called the collection "the perfect campy soundtrack for any Halloween lip-sync contest".

Track listing

Track listing adapted from AllMusic and Apple Music

References

External links

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* {{Cite journal, url=https://www.thefader.com/2019/10/17/current-mood-sharon-needles-best-halloween-songs-list-2019, title=Current Mood: Sharon Needles picks the spookiest Halloween songs, date=October 17, 2019, first=Shaad, last=d'Souza, journal=The Fader

2019 debut EPs
Halloween albums
Producer Entertainment Group albums
Sharon Needles albums