Ghost aren't so much a band anymore as an unstoppable, unquestionable cultural force—a sort of bizarro Roman Catholic Church in musical form. I think they'd like that comparison. Ghost have been flirting with blasphemy from the very beginning; heck, they even tried to host a concert the same day Pope Francis visited Boston, only shutting it down after they found that the masses of devoted Catholics longing for a glimpse of Frank would so thoroughly clog the city's public transport that Papa's faithful wouldn't make it to his planned anti-Mass. These Nameless Ghouls are showmen (and trolls) through and through. So when Ghost puts out new material, even a short collection of covers, the whole metal world pauses to take a glance.
Ghost may be a larger-than-life musical carnival, but they're still human as well—human enough for a few missteps on the way to their present superstardom. Their last covers EP, If You Have Ghost, was a mixed bag, to say the least. Produced by Dave Grohl (of Dave Grohl fame), it lacked cohesion and often didn't play to the band's strengths, although opener "If You Have Ghosts" was an exceptionally good cover song in every respect and remains a fan favorite. Popestar is a much stronger work overall, but not without a few of the same mistakes and missteps from Ghost's last mostly-covers effort.
"Squared Hammer," Popestar's only original cut, is sugary even by Ghost's standards. With a tight standard song structure and a sing-along chorus, it's a definite step away from the progressive tendencies Ghost displayed on Meliora. It's a not a bad song, but it's solidly B-side or bonus track material. If "Squared Hammer" is, as many suspect, a leftover track from Meliora that didn't make the cut, Papa and the Ghouls make the right call in saving it for what is, let's be honest, a throwaway EP to tide fans over until Ghost's next full-length.
The next three tracks are much stronger. Ghost thrives on the ominous melodies and triple meter of Echo & The Bunnymen's "Nocturnal Me," transforming the original's gothy waltz into a doomy showcase of Papa's sinister charisma. "I Believe" delivers a stripped-down re-imagining of the 2007 minor house music hit, changing the thumping club song into a haunting hymn that's undeniably Ghost. Once again, Papa's vocals take center stage. "Missionary Man" cleaves closest to the style and feel of the original Eurythmics track, down to the country twang and harmonica solo. It's certainly an odd song for Ghost to put a spin on (and put a spin on it they do), but I guess self-proclaimed sex symbol Papa Emeritus III couldn't pass up on the chance to channel actual sex symbol Annie Lennox.
Closer "Bible" is the weakest number of the bunch. Although Ghost's decision to cover the work of fellow Swedes Imperiet isn't at all surprising, their choice to cover the American version of Imperiet's "Bible" is perplexing to say the least. The original Swedish version of the song is lush alternative anthem—a bit heavy on 80s Europeanisms, but a fine song nonetheless. The American version is an utterly forgettable glam rock power ballad, indistinguishable from hundreds of tracks just like it that vied for radio play in the late 80s and early 90s. Even worse, Ghost's interpretation brings nothing to the track aside from modern studio tricks and a fuller sound. Heck, it's barely recognizable as a Ghost song, apart from Papa's slight accent on the verses. It's a disappointing close to an EP that will probably please both casual listeners and fanatical Ghost fans like me, even with its flaws.
Recommended.
