Album review: 'More Halloween Nuggets: Haunted Underground Classics' - Various Artists

More Halloween Nuggets: Haunted Underground Classics is a highly entertaining sequel to last year's Halloween Nuggets album on RockBeat/Liberation Hall Records. The latest various artists compilation gathers garage rock, surf rock and pop "horror novelty" singles from the late 1950s and '60s.

Everything gets off to a strong start with screams and a bubbling cauldron effect during "Witch Girl" by The Mystrys (fun fact: the Aussie band was known for wearing green velvet hoods in public). The baritone-voiced Teddy Durant helms "The Beast of Sunset Strip." He amusingly sings about "hopping in your Woody," Las Vegas, "a Watusi beat" and namechecks The Beatles punctuated by girl group background vocals.

Columbus, Ohio's The Ebb-Tides (which once backed Del Shannon and Bobby Sherman on TV variety special "The Shindig! All-Star Review") do a fine, eerie, Farfisa-fueled "Seance." Other standouts: the early Rolling Stones-esque "I'm the Wolf Man" from Round Robin - complete with ferocious growls; Rockabilly singer Chance Halladay hypnotizes his lover on "Deep Sleep"; The Connoissurs' sax-driven "Count Macabre" brings The Coasters to mind; Johnny Alderson's shuffling and funny "Zoola Zooky" that could've been on an Elvis Presley film soundtrack; Peter & The Wolves' jaunty "Mr. Frankenstein" and "The Raven" by Kenny and the Fiends.

The 18-track LP version is available in a grape/clear "ghostly" vinyl variant, while the CD edition adds four bonus tracks featuring film trailers ("Night of the Blood Beast," "The Mummy," "Frankenstein and Dracula") and sound effects ("The Werewolf").

Purchase through Amazon and Bandcamp. For more information, go to liberationhall.com.