The eclectic choral ensemble known as the Spooky Men's Chorale was formed in 2011 by Stephen Taberner, a New Zealand native living in Australia. Part serious men's choir, part choral pranksters, Taberner's role as "spookmeister" (choirmaster) of the group began while he was living in the Blue Mountains region of New South Wales. After agreeing to take part in a Sydney-based show called This Was Nearly My Life, he recruited any available male singers and "taught them three songs, and asked them to show up wearing black and with an interesting hat." The black uniforms and strange headgear would come to define the Spooky Men visually over the next decade, while musically they presented an odd mix of Georgian polyphonic works, humorous original songs by Taberner ("Don't Stand Between a Man and His Tool"), and offbeat arrangements of pop songs. From their 2004 debut, Tooled Up, to their 2015 collection, Warm, the Spooky Men have beguiled, entertained, and confused audiences around Australia and Europe. Their unique appearance and ability to create moments of haunting beauty and abstract silliness have made them a favorite at folk festivals. ~ Timothy Monger