E-Mail This Article to a Friend DOWNLOAD Do they know it's Halloween? BY MATT ASHARE

Vice Recordings is gearing up for the holiday — the October holiday, that is — with a project that’s scary in more ways that one.

"DO THEY KNOW IT’S HALLOWE’EN?"

VICE

In the tradition of the Ruttles, Spinal Tap, and anyone who’s ever taken the piss out of pop-star pretension comes this timely hilarious Vice Records response to the Western-centric arrogance of the recent Live 8 concerts and, of course, the star-studded ’80s atrocity "Do They Know It’s Christmas?" It’s an anti-Halloween call to arms that features Beck, the Arcade Fire, Sonic Youth, Peaches, Feist, Devendra Banhart, a few spooky blasts from the past (Malcolm McLaren, Elvira, Roky Erickson), and a cameo by comedian David Cross that, well, you’ve just gotta hear it.

BLOC PARTY

"HELLICOPTER" (WHITEY VERSION)

VICE

No joke: Whitey’s remix of "Hellicopter" from Silent Alarm Remixed — Bloc Party’s respectable attempt to breathe new life into their faltering career — is actually kinda spooky too. It’s got something to do with the eerie "whooo" noises in the background. And the guitars are sharper than those urban-legend razor blades you’re supposed to find in trick-or-treat apples.

BOREDOMS

"SEADRUM/HOUSE OF SUN"

VICE

Maybe it’s just that, having seen them live, anything the Boredoms do scares the shit out me. . . .