Oh hi little friends. How are you?
It’s been a while since I’ve done one of these fancy ass music reviews, so I figured I’d pop on here and offer up my thoughts on the new EP from everyone’s loved and hated pop-metal outfit Ghost.
Look, I’ve talked about Ghost before… Several times in fact.
I love Ghost. Unashamedly, and unironically. I’ve really registered with and gotten their schtick.. I’m also one of those people that can reconcile their image with their sound and it makes sense to me. I think a lot of the sayers who say nay are unable to do this and that’s why so many collective metal forums seem to get their panties in a bunch over Ghost.
Straight up, I was kinda meh on Meliora. I liked it, don’t read me wrong here, I definitely did but it didn’t punch me where it stinks like their previous offerings of Opus Eponymous and Infestissumam. Meloria was kinda the lukewarm cup of tea. Still good. Still drinkable but just lacking that wonderful piece of perfection that is the ideal temperature.
I’ve been keeping my ear to the ground for Popestar because one thing that’s always kicked me in the dick about Ghost is their hilarity and very tongue in cheek covers. The Roky Erickson, “If You Have Ghosts” cover was fucking aces… Their cover of that weird ABBA song, “I’m a Marionette” was also pretty great.
What’s great about Popestar is that it’s a take of Ghost doing five covers, with one original song. I’m not saying their covers are better, but I really like seeing the various avenues they take with their covers and how they approach them.
So, I really dig this album. The only original track is “Square Hammer” and it’s a fucking banger. SHIT IS OFF THE CHAIN. It’s got this awesome 1980s Bon Jovi croony feel to it while straight up being a rock song. It’s almost radio worthy which is both a compliment and not, I suppose. I like it. But I will post more on this later.
The other four songs are covers:
Nocturnal Me (Echo and the Bunnymen)
I Believe (Simian Mobile Disco)
Missionary Man (Eurythmics)
Bible (Imperiet)
All of these tracks are pretty solid. I’m already a fan of Echo and the Bunnymen so the Nocturnal Me cover was pretty well fucking perfect, and the Simian Mobile Disco, “I Believe” really gave a chance for the wonderful Papa Emeritus to showcase his pop singing/crooning ability. Missionary Man rounded it out for me as a great track – that down home old Southern vibe that came off it was pretty great. Gave me some Wovenhand vibes for sure.
Bible was the only track that I was kinda meh on. It was a well done cover, but I just don’t know that the song does a lot for me. Either way, the album is still super solid. I definitely recommend buying it and popping open a bottle of red wine and getting sloppy.