Ghost Town - A Review of The After Party

Chicago – Post-hardcore is not for everyone. The average fanbase lies between pre-teen through early 20s. Some brush it off as bad music, without taking the time to understand its culture. As a teacher, I can tell you that many of my students eat, sleep, and breathe every aspect post-hardcore, from the music and clothes, to the endless mounds of merchandise. I mean, did you know there are Pierce the Veil cakes? One of my students spent an afternoon googling post-hardcore birthday cakes, ultimately settling on a Sleeping with Sirens cake. Young fans idolize these bands, clinging to lyrics that perfectly describe the emotions and experiences of adolescence, so it comes as no surprise that Ghost Town built a large following well before signing with Fueled By Ramen. Their early success and interesting mix of pop, rock, screamo, and dubstep earned a Ghost Town coveted spot on the Alternative Press’ “100 Bands You Need To Know In 2014” list.

Ghost Town is comprised of lead singer Kevin “Ghost” McCullough, guitarist Alix “Monster” Koochaki, electronic savant Evan Pearce, and MannYtheDrummeR, better known as Manny “Town” Dominick. The California band describes their sound as electro-rock. I’d toss in electro-screamo, too. They definitely have more of a rock edge than most post-hardcore, with some added EDM and comics. Yeah, you read that right, comics! The fifth member of Ghost Town is Alister Dippner. He creates witches, zombies, mummies, and various other characters to accompany the music for what the band deems an “audio and visual movement ahead of its time.” Shortly after forming in 2012, they released the album A Party In The Graveyard and sold all original copies thanks to their dedicated fans, known as “ghosts.” Fueled By Ramen re-released the album in the fall of 2013, with some added tracks. Ghost Town is now ready to unleash their highly anticipated sophomore album, The After Party, and scare up some extra ghosts.

“Acid” starts The After Party off with ghoulish howls, eventually breaking into what sounds like a darker version of Lincoln Park. Suddenly you’re hit with some EDM and taken on a “wild technicolor ride.” The spooky party doesn’t end there. The lead single “You’re So Creepy” sounds like A Day To Remember in da club. This fan favorite was actually on Party In The Graveyard, but seeing as The After Party is Ghost Town’s first “proper” release, it makes sense to revamp it, throw it on, and expose a wider audience to this ode to emo-goth girls.

“That’s Unusual (Jump)” carries a dance vibe and a positive message. In a track commentary the guys wrote: “Sure someone may have all these cool ‘things’ or people may think you’re ‘cool,’ but really at the end of the day, we are all the same. No one person is better than any other, and we can all see right through that fake shit. This song is about living ‘like it’s your last night’ and letting loose and enjoying the little things that really matter in life.”

“Under Wraps” and “Black Moon” slow things down a bit, with the latter crooning about lovesick insomnia. In the poppy “Carnival,” Kevin sings about falling in love for the first time – “when you give everything to that person because you’ve never felt heartbreak before” – only to experience raw pain from its demise. On the tragic tip, “W.F.F” talks toxic friendships with tight beats and heavy screams.

The album ends with “I’m A Disaster.” This has hit written all over it. What young adult doesn’t feel that way? Kevin sings, “Stop trying to fix me. I’m fine with my flaws. Why can’t you just take me for what I am? I’m a disaster.” Although the song seems gloomy, the band encourages kids to embrace who they are and “no matter how dark it gets or how bad it gets,” find your inner strength and pick yourself up. Like their Fueled By Ramen labelmates twenty | one | pilots, Ghost Town’s inspiring lyrics and encouraging attitudes will no doubt continue to build a strong and loyal fan base.

The After Party is sure to satisfy loyal “ghosts” and bring plenty more ghouls to town.

Ghost Town is set to release The After Party on June 17. Itwill be available for purchase on iTunes. You can catch Ghost Town on the Vans Warped Tour this summer, and check out their facebook page for an extended list of tour dates.

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Sarah Hess

At the age of six, Sarah Hess discovered True Blue by Madonna. This resulted in her spending hours in front of the bathroom mirror with a hairbrush microphone, belting out "La Isla Bonita" off key. Her love for music only intensified over the years thanks to her parents; her mother exposed Sarah to The Jackson Five and had her hustling to the Bee Gees, while her father would play her albums like 'Pet Sounds' and 'Some Girls' from start to finish, during which he'd lecture on and on about the history of rock & roll. Sarah would eventually stumble upon rap and hip-hop, then punk and alternative, and fall madly in love with Jeff Buckley and film photography.

After attending The School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Sarah went on to study education at Dominican University, earning a degree in history. When not teaching, writing, or taking in a show, she is most likely to be found with a camera to her eye or hanging out in a darkroom.

You can follow Sarah Hess on twitter at @Sarahhasanh and view her music photography on her website: smhimaging.com.