Music suggestions for a very specific theme party

Grizzled

So, a friend of mine is throwing a party for Halloween and we are supposed to bring music. The theme is pretty specific - "Dark Carnival", as in "Something Wicked This Way Comes" (NOT as in Juggalos).

Normally I'm known as the guy who loves death/thrash metal, but my friends' musical tastes are more sedate. So, say Misfits/Sabbath/Rob Zombie type stuff is probably out. But I thought this would be a good opportunity to put together a killer set of tunes.

Stuff I am looking at so far:
Gogol Bordello
Decemberists (the sadder/spookier songs like 'Eli the Barrowboy')
Tom Waits

So...musical suggestions for an evil-carnival themed Halloween party, but not so brutal that normal people won't enjoy it and not so downer that it will kill the party. And no damn ICP (although "Miracles" will probably get played at some point).

WiseManTobes

This popped to mind , but I think it's more for the video,

Soul to Squeeze

What about the mellower side of Primus, or just some creepy ol intrumental organ music.

hmm , also this , altho no idea where to get the song besides this video

Drosselmyers dark circus

Shags09

Check out stroll (debut album is called "Carnival of Lost Souls" if that is a sign). Don't know if you'll find much on the inter-webs, but whats in the embedded played there is a good start.

I'll chuck in the obligatory Ghost Town too. Ghost Town (The Specials)

Seattle Thread

Man Man

Look no further.

Noisymunk

Mr. Bungle would fit in quite nicely.

Ma Meeshka Mow Skwoz from the Disco Volante album
Get it. So perfect for a demented carnival themed party. The album cut isn't on youtube, but that's what you want. Here's a High School Percussion Ensemble performing it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vpj_rup68hc

None Of Them Knew They Were Robots from the California album.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PBH5ez-Znw

Desert Search for a Techno Allah from the Disco Volante album.
Also Perfect.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3r5vwlNyso

Golem II: The Bionic Vapor Boy from the California album.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndiGwhcBOOk

Chemical Marriage from the album Disco Volante

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Siu0RHwWTSU


Your guests probably wouldn't want a whole playlist of this kind of stuff, but it would definitely set the mood mixed in with some more familiar stuff.

Regarding Rob Zombie and Black Sabbath, the "campier" stuff is so great. Bark at the Moon, Living Dead Girl, Dragula. The songs everybody knows.

Don't forget Alice Cooper. You can't have a Halloween party without "Be My Frankenstein".

Noisymunk

Mike Patton loves Monster Movies

Fantomas's Spider Babies from The Director's Cut

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubejIwljBz4

Chop Logic

Ha, how perfect is this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQA0YfzyqM8

truck-a-sauras

I was tempted to say Mr. Bungle, or Polkadot Cadaver, or Dog Fashion Disco. All similar bands and have quite the odd styles and easily could fit into the theme. Though I've found as the "metal" guy myself nobody can stand what I listen to, and party wise it is rarely even worth it to try. I'm used to being the odd man out music wise especially when you hit the wackyness of the Bungle arena.

definitely give a listen to the Bungle clips above if you are unfamiliar. Fun stuff and any Bungle fans if you don't know em' check out the other bands I listed above

edit: you tubey

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoJvRGYGXQI

Super Kipper

How about some good ol' Nick Cave?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqfS7NdcwdM

Glass.Cannon

I always liked Creature Feature for creepy/holloween stuff; especially if you're looking for something lighter than metal.

vonPoonBurGer

Try Jackass Path, by David P. Smith. You can give it a listen here. That's not a theremin in that track by the way, that's someone playing a handsaw. I saw this guy live in Vancouver, complete with handsaw accompaniment, and my first thought was "My god, this is like demented circus music!"

Edit: On second thought, that track might be a little too downer for what you're looking for. Some of the other songs keep the demented circus vibe but are more up-tempo.

dispatch.o

Voltaire has some cool stuff. Half his shit sounds like it was designed for a quirky Halloween party by default.

Floofy

Rasputina fits the bill pretty nicely:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvHUWgTzLLQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZ1SJ47cgEg

Glass.Cannon

I second the Voltaire suggestion. I actually keep him and Creature Feature in the same playlist.

Tofystedeth

Pink Martini's cover of Que Sera Sera always sounded like a haunted carnival to me.

FroThulhu

I definitely second Gogol and Nick Cave

cj iwakura

Some music from Vampire: Bloodlines, perhaps?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kne67pSaALg

Certainly dark and moody, not too hard.

Lachrymite

Secret Chiefs 3, particularly Welcome to Theatron Animatronique.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzOeQzN0wvY

Seattle Thread

I hate to re-post a suggestion, but Man Man fit the bill so perfectly that it deserves a second mention.

Also a link or two:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLKC99cFhPk&feature=list_related&a=GxdCwVVULXd6dGDtl_QwvvYFsSGQbc5t&list=ML&playnext=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARoxzsG9qHM&feature=related

Lux

The Paper Chase - We Know Where You Sleep

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMwhrMA-jYo

And if you want the party to halt because everyone just got totally uncomfortable, Patrick Wolf - Child Catcher

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKmhCq7P9QA

Dehumanized

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFXByDzjC1Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qlKwsY3rbc

I believe these should cover your theme handily.

Laughter staggers on
In between their gags
pounding their faces
he's on his last legs
I don't care to dance
I don't care to dance
I don't care to dance
I'm not going to dance
Angels twitch nervously
the brave and the bold weep
we all want to know who
we should pay tribute to
Hey good looker
Hey good looker
you could tell me all about it
go on - tell me all about it
I know your secrets
I know your secrets
you could tell me all about it
go on - tell me all about it
I may have lost the thread
I was supposed to pull
may I say everyone
is irresistible
Everyone is irresistible
now I'm not sure which way I should turn
I can say "Now I've seen everything"
at last there must be no more to learn
That's what you want to hear
sadly, also it's true
and I know all the ways
and I'm still hung up on you
Oh great beautician in the sky
your innocence just saddens me
I shall throw it all against the wall
take my pleasure in spite of it all
I know your secrets
I know your secrets
you could tell me all about it
go on - tell me all about it
hey good looker
hey good looker
I could fall all night over you
hey good looker
hey good looker
roses are red, violets are blue

truck-a-sauras

Lux wrote: »

And if you want the party to halt because everyone just got totally uncomfortable, Patrick Wolf - Child Catcher

clearing a room huh? Polkadot can handle that too! good stuff in this thread

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkeBqGWw4Ew

Tylanthus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnLNXquIBVs

How Mr. Bungle was linked without mentioning this song boggles the mind.

A Dabble Of Thelonius

Thirding Nick Cave, specifically his album Murder Ballads. An entire album about murderers.


Also Tom Waits is fantastic, just make sure you have this

An instant party classic.

clearsimpleplain

I second Nick Cave.

Sufjan Stevens. Are his songs meant to be creepy? Debatable. But he evokes kind of a chilling sort of vision of God and sin sometimes, at least to me. I would recommend checking out his latest album, Royal Robertson inspired apocalyptic alien schizophrenia style.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otx49Ko3fxw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99TCWaHmWKc

Bullio

Dark Carnival?

Midnight Riders.