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LISTEN UP Emperor Norton’s Stationary Marching

Band visits ‘Another World’

VICTOR D. INFANTE the brass band slides into, creating a Elfman’s “This is Halloween,” from deep, danceable groove with horns. the animated classic, “The Nightmare

These are impossible times. How fun is that? Things swiftly take Before Christmas.” That seems apThankfully, Emperor Norton’s a more discordant turn with the propriate to the times, and from its Stationary Marching Band is industrial-influenced opening to opening heavy drudge to its surprisequally impossible, a Discord- “Brobdingnagian Chutzpah.” This ing choral vocals, the song is a jolt of ian dive into musical madness that song, written and arranged by band holiday fun. Indeed, the songs on this plays sonic mad science with big member Dylan Foley, stampedes EP would make a great soundtrack brass, blending disparate elements over numerous musical landscapes to a holiday party, if that were a thing from numerous genres into some- in giant bounds, spinning out into an anyone were doing this year. thing that’s ridiculously fun. That’s Eastern European-flavored melody, McPherson returns with the reason enough to check out their punctuated by beat drops that feel smooth “Movile Madness Waltz two recent EPs, “Another World is pulled from a ska album. It’s wild and (and More!),” a brisk blast of Eastern Possible” Volumes 1 and 2, but the unpredictable, and utterly delightful. European cool that plays its Old Boston-based musical mob gives you The first two songs on the EP, and World sounds with an underlying another good one: All the proceeds all the songs on the second, are listed groove. It’s bright and fun, and leaves from the sales of both EPs will as “socially distant recordings,” which the listener wide open for the wallop benefit the nonprofit organization must have been an impressive feet, that is a rendition of the Riverbottom Violence in Boston. considering how cohesive every- Nightmare Band’s “Dunwich,” from

Violence in Boston’s mission, ac- thing sounds. The only exception Jim Henson’s Emmet Otter’s “Jugcording to ENSMB’s Bandcamp page, is the first EP’s “Kazu,” which was Band Christmas.” is to “improve the quality of life & life recorded live at Boston’s HonkFest. I’m going to cop right now that I outcomes of individuals from disen- The song was originally performed have never seen this movie, although franchised communities by reducing by the Bosnian avant garde band I’ve heard of it, and while I’m having the prevalence of violence and the Dubioza Kolektiv, and arranged here trouble finding a reference to the impact of associated trauma.” The first EP, which was released in June, has a suitably summery feel to it. The opening track, “Burn it Down,” is composed by band member Chuck Lechien, kicking off with a startling synth-pop vibe which the full force of Millionaire?” to win 1 million euros. Stars Matthew Macfadyen, Sian Clifford and Mark Bonnar. “Scare Package”: Anthology comedy horror ties together deadly events at Rad Chad’s Horror Emporium. “The Secrets We Keep”: A woman (Noomi Rapace) kidnaps her neighbor (Joel Kinnaman) after she’s convinced he committed crimes against her during World War II. “Spree”: A rideshare driver hatches a sinister plot for online popularity. Stars Joe Keery, Sasheer Zamata and David Arquette. “The Vanished”: A devastated couple (Anne Heche and Thomas Jane) on vacation search for their missing daughter. “Tremors: Shrieker Island”: A wealthy man sics a giant, deadly worm on unsuspecting island visiNEW ON DVD CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18 for the Stationary Marching Band by member Andrew McPherson, and it’s every bit as high-energy and catchy as one would hope it would be. The second EP, released this month, takes a more seasonal approach, starting with the opening track: An arrangement of Danny OUT ON DIGITAL HD OCT. 20 “After So Many Days”: Documentary follows married singersongwriters on a yearlong quest to perform every single day. “The Amityville Harvest”: A documentary film crew faces a subject who uses dark magic against them. “Monster Force Zero”: A group of cosplayers obtain actual superpowers to fight aliens. “Tar”: An evil life form emerges from Los Angeles’ La Brea Tar Pits and terrorizes the city. OUT ON DIGITAL HD OCT. 23 “Friendsgiving”: A group of friends get together for a tumultuous makeshift Thanksgiving dinner. Stars Malin Akerman, Kat Dennings, Aisha Tyler and Christine Taylor. Look for it on DVD and Blu-ray Oct. 27 Riverbottom Nightmare Band playing a song inspired by H.P. Lovecraft’s “Dunwich Horror,” I really can’t see any proof that they DIDN’T. So we’ll just go with it, because this is flat out awesome, a full-blast descent into heavy metal that’s deliciously surprising and energizing. The song does use lyrics from the Muppet band’s eponymous theme song: “We take what we want/We do anything that we wish/We got no respect/For animal birdy or fish.” Which is pretty hard-core for anything Muppet related, but then, they’ve always been a little subversive. The EP ends on “Ballet Diavolante,” a cinematic car chase of a song written and arranged by Mr. Squirrel. It’s a satisfying and madcap end to an equally satisfying and madcap pair of EPs. artists wanted Let us feature your artwork in Worcester Magazine’s Artist spotlight! Email wmeditor@gatehousemedia.com for more information! OCTOBER 22 28, 2020 WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM tors. Stars Jackie Cruz, Richard Brake and Jon Heder. 19