I've gone on a new music binge again.
I've collected over a hundred new songs since January 1st. And that's not including the 6 new albums I just bought yesterday. 2007 is turning out to be a very good year!!!

Most of the songs have been sought out, but there's a few that I came across that were totally "found." Most of these are okay, but there's been a few standouts. One of them, I absolutely adore, but not for AC1-type reasons. The song is delightful, quirky, and has this one quality that continues to make it resonate at the top of the playlist...

The song is The Aquabats' "Fashion Zombies." It's a very catchy tune, and very witty. It's about the effort, the life commitment inherent in going Goth. It doesn't make fun of or poke fun at Goths, it just posits the mysteries that us Goth-outsiders have to ponder when encountering Goth gangs.

"Who can blame them? They walk through asphalt cemeteries, in Zombie Fashions! They must have been born that way!"

And though the song gets me rocking, and can elicit constant smirks, there's this one little thing about the song that keeps me coming back for more.

Once the chorus begins, there's this percussive downbeat that I have never heard before. It's not a base drum, it ain't no cymbal or any other kit piece. It's this hollow sound that ties off hard at the end. It only lasts one beat, but it propels the song forward at an amazing clip while it's thumping away. It's so present, it tends to make the rest of the song seem slow.
I have a really hard time describing it. But if a bunch of Goths cornered me and asked me to describe it, I'd call it the Squish.

Maybe the 'Bats chose it because it has a sort of Shaun killing zombie hordes sound to it. Maybe it's the sound of blunt objects hitting the undead. I'd love to know how it was made, and why it's not heard in every song in the world.

Three other perfect touches that really elevate this song: There's a playful synth at the beginning. Fun. There's goth choral tones over the chorus. Nice. And there's a Thriller-style spoken word rumination as the final bridge of the song. Perfect.

But give me the Squish, and I'm a happy man.

All assail.