A Horror Movie Survival Primer

Have you ever been watching a horror film, and wanted to shout at the screen when a character does something supremely silly, like walking into that spooky, abandoned (and obviously haunted) house, picked up the cursed object they've been told to stay away from, or even (as Scream so aptly illustrated) answered the phone? Then you've got to check out Seth Grahame-Smith's skillfully written How To Survive A Horror Movie, a humorous look at all the best ways to stay alive if you're find out you're trapped in a scary movie. It's a fun look at all of the cliches, tropes and oft-repeated scenarios that are featured in many of the horror films that fans love, or love to hate.

Grahame-Smith knows his away around a horror tale, having penned the novels Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter. He was also a producer on the big-screen adaptation of Stephen King's It, and wrote the screenplay for the Tim Burton version of the classic horror soap opera, Dark Shadows. This lovingly crafted guide to surviving the "Terrorverse" will bring a smile to the face of lovers of cinematic murder, dread and tales of unstoppable supernatural forces. You'll find out how to identify the type of slashers you might be dealing with, and how to handle killer cars, murderous dolls and zombie apocalypses.

How To Survive A Horror Movie is a tongue-in-cheek tome will educate you on how to recognize some of the most common threats in horror films. Learn about how to survive the killer consequences of that deadly hit and run you were involved in (and tried to cover up) last summer, or how to make it thru summer at the camp you're attending, which has played host to a machete-wielding killer in the past. Grahame-Smith is a lifelong fan of horror movies, and it shows. If you need to know "How To Survive A Night of Babysitting" or "How To Defeat A Killer Doll," then this not so deadly serious primer is the book for you.

I laughed out loud several times while reading this entertaining book during a recent vacation, and found myself flipping back to re-read some of the sections a second time. There are some nicely done illustrations throughout, and a handy guide to some of Grahame-Smith's favorite horror films, so that you can program a little festival of the movies he considers the best of the genre. I think you'll have a lot of fun reading How To Survive A Horror Movie. After all, this might be the only place you can find out "What To Do If Your Corn Has Children In It" and "How to Tell If You've Been Dead Since The Beginning of the Movie," so pick up a copy today. I promise it isn't a cursed book.

The Devil, The Tower, The Star, The Moon: A Fabulous Album from The Anderson Council

The Anderson Council, those New Jersey purveyors of psychedelic flavored rock/pop, are back with The Devil, The Tower, The Star, The Moon, a spectacular new record, which just might be their best release yet. That’s high praise, considering their previous efforts, which include terrific albums such as Worlds Collide and Looking At The Stars, are top notch efforts in their own right. You can always count on an Anderson Council disc to deliver some of the best psychedelic rock and power pop inspired songs you’ll hear anywhere, and The Devil, The Tower, The Star, The Moon delivers a dozen of them.

The Devil, The Tower, The Star, The Moon kicks off with the fanciful “Tarot Toronto,” a guitar-driven number that, like many of the band’s songs, wears its 1960s influences proudly on its sleeve. That awesome opener is only the appetizer on a full menu of top notch tracks mixing psychedelia, pop and straight ahead rock. You’ll groove to tunes such as the sunshine pop of “Million Miles A Day,” the British rock infused “Times On Thames,” the sprightly “Messes Up My Mind,” and the modern rock sounds permeating “Sunday Afternoon.” There’s even a dash of country on the delightful “Untrained Eyes.”

Peter Horvath, the leader of The Anderson Council, co-wrote the songs on The Devil, The Tower, The Star, The Moon with Michael Temkin and Dawn Eden Goldstein. Much of the songwriting work occurred over texts, emails and FaceTime during a three year period, from 2019 to 2021. The album also showcases the work of two new band members, drummer Scott Jones and guitarist Michael Potenza, who join lead vocalist/guitarist Horvath and bassist Simon Burke to form the group’s new lineup. The Anderson Council are outstanding musicians, and they all sound magnificent. The one and only Kurt Reil (of Grip Weeds fame) guest stars on percussion, keys and vocals, and helped Peter and the band with production on the record.

The album definitely showcases Horvath’s passion for late 1960’s pop and rock. If you love groups like The Beatles, The Zombies, The Creation and Pink Floyd, you’ll find much to enjoy on this record. As much as Horvath pays homage to these much beloved bands, he also puts his own unique spin on these songs, giving them a fresh and original sound. If there’s any justice in the music world these days, every song on The Devil, The Tower, The Star, The Moon will be part of the soundtrack of your summer, or better yet, a permanent part of your personal playlist.

Check out the first single, the spiraling, energetic “Alone With You,” which is now available, as well as the rest of this fantastic album. The Devil, The Tower, The Star, The Moon will be released May 19 on JEM Records. If you’re looking for a phantasmagorical set of songs that evokes the spirit of the late 1960s, with a touch of power pop and indie rock, then this disc is a must have. By the way, the band's moniker comes from the first names of blues artists Pink Anderson and Floyd Council. Yep, the guys in Pink Floyd took the first names of those same artists to christen their band. You can check out the video for “Alone With You,” by following this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DMYw89-LHU, and for more on The Anderson Council, just head on over to https://www.jemrecordings.com/.

Marc Platt's Stellar "The Runaway Train"

I always look forward to checking out new music from Marc Platt, a talented singer-songwriter who's been writing and performing outstanding songs for many years now, both as a member of the power pop band The Real Impossibles, and as a solo artist, on albums like That Midlife Thing and The Golden Ticket. His latest release, The Runaway Train, is another top-notch collection of well-crafted folk-rock tunes, filled with an emotional resonance that hits you right in the center of your soul. That's certainly not true of most of what passes for pop/rock music these days, but Platt always wears his heart on his sleeve, and I mean that as a compliment.

Just take a listen to evocative tracks like the heartfelt "AM Radio," where he reminisces about listening to music in the car with his Mom, or the powerful "The Way It Goes" in which he examines the roads traveled in his (and our) lives, and perhaps laments the ones he (and we) haven't taken. Platt's insightful and sometimes heart-wrenching look at the ups and downs of love and relationships is a recurring theme in his music, and it's showcased on The Runaway Train via terrific songs like "The Score," "See You Again," and "Never Look Back."

The Runaway Train also includes another Platt trademark, some cool 1960s pop-infused tunes, including the title track and "Like a Time Bomb." Platt successfully captures the essence of the classic rock, pop and folk sound, while still giving the music his own personal spin. Other standouts on the album include the sardonic "Thoughts and Prayers," and the reflective "My Love Waits," and "The Way It Goes." One of my favorites on an a record filled with high points is the lovely "New Year's Bells," a tune that should be an instant addition to your holiday tunes playlist.

The instrumental work and production on the The Runaway Train (all superbly handled by Platt) is excellent, as usual. The album is another magnificent jewel in Marc Platt's ouevre. I urge you to check it out, and to take a deep dive into the rest of his discography. You can find the album at bandcamp by following this link: https://marcplatt.bandcamp.com/album/runaway-train. Platt also does some really fine work with his company Radio Candy, helping indie artists get their music out there and heard on internet radio. You can find out more about that by following this link: https://radiocandyradio.com/.