about
Halloween Town is a collective of artists contributing to the songs of Las Vegas singer/songwriter Ryan Pardey. Mark Stoermer (The Killers), Jason Hill and Brian Karscig (Louis XIV) began recording Halloween Town's Zafra Ct. in San Diego, CA and assembled a number of notable artists and collaborators to help out: Shaun Cornell (Transfer), and Michael Stratton (12 Volt Sex), Dave Keuning (The Killers), Matt Dublin (The Red Romance, Ambulance LTD) and anyone else that felt inspired to help Pardey document his musings. Producer/engineer Doug Boehm (Girls, Booker T, The Vines) mixed Zafra Ct. in Los Angeles, CA. in late 2011, tying it all together into a single work of art.
Actor/director Matthew Gray Gubler (Criminal Minds, 500 Days of Summer) created the artwork for the 7" Summer (the dreamer from 1997) / Darlin’ if you’re worried. Halloween Town supported The Killers on a leg of the sold out “Day and Age” world tour, to support the initial release of Summer.
Zafra Ct. is the second release by Halloween Town on Gubler’s boutique label, CornStalk Recordings. Gubler and Pardey have worked together several times, most notably on The Killers release "Don’t Shoot Me Santa". Pardey played a key role on the track not only with his vocal duet with Killers front man Brandon Flowers, but also by starring in the music video directed by Gubler. "Don’t Shoot Me Santa" was released in 2007 and broke the top 40 music charts in both the UK and Canada.
Pardey is a Las Vegas native who has supported his musical career as a bartender, tour manager, karaoke host, Alaskan kayak guide and an assistant to The Killers. The son of famed gambler and poker player Rod Pardey, Ryan is no stranger to the casino floor -- at times even immersing himself in the family trade.
Halloween Town's music can be seen to paint a portrait of a family -- and indeed, the city of Las Vegas itself -- in a perpetual state of struggle and triumph, and Zafra Ct. is a record that hopes to define Pardey, the Las Vegas son, in a poetic and honest way. Halloween Town may have the Las Vegas headliners lighting up the marquee of the album, but at its heart seems to be a broken Reno lounge act with a pocketful of chips and a story to tell.
credits
released September 27, 2011
Ryan Pardey - Lead Vocals. Acoustic Guitar, Hand Claps
Shaun Cornell - Producer, Engineer, Bass, Keyboards
Michael Stratton - Producer, Engineer, Electric Guitar, Keyboards, Glockenspiel, Hand Claps
Dave Keuning - Electric Guitar, Tenor Acoustic Guitar
Matthew Molarius - Backing Vocals
Tony Cupito - Drums
Tommy Marth - Saxophone
Frank Palumbo - Horns
Chris Mendez-Vanacare - Hand Claps, Percussion
license
all rights reserved
