With “Ghost We Keep,” an ambitious, 11-track album inspired by lost carnivals, haunted roads, weirdos and ghosts that still haunt in our memories, Hoxsey brings listeners into a strange and fascinating world. Produced in partnership with Mrs. Fields, the release is a fusion of alternative rock, indie rock and gothic sounds, and is more akin to a cinematic journey than a traditional Halloween record.
The opening song on the album is “Skeleton Key,” which is dark and haunting. The vocals are creepy and the drums are great, it’s as though something is about to happen. “The Road” then alters the tempo, playing at a faster pace, and the listener feels like they are going deeper into this unusual world.
The theatrical storytelling is continued with songs like “The Introduction of Sgt. Capone,” “A Ride With the Four Horse Men in 1888” and “Corpses Ball Room,” while others such as “Josaphina” show a softer and more intimate side of the album.
The interesting thing about Ghost We Keep is that it’s not an attempt to sound scary. There are themes of memory, mortality, identity and nostalgia that lie beneath its odd characters and mysterious landscapes. It prompts us to consider the people and places that will remain after us and the memories we carry on with us.
The album is like taking a walk through a ghosted-on-the-spots carnival at night — mysterious, beautiful and slightly unsettling. Ghost We Keep has the potential to be a Halloween staple, but with all these emotions it has a life outside of the season.
