Various Artists - Raising Steam Volume I - 3 (Cd Review)

Various Artists – Raising Steam

Volume I

01. Miss Von Trapp - Have A Pie: Modern Mrs Lovett

02. Helicopter Quartet - Where Have All The Aliens Gone?

03. Thy Last Drop – Gravedigger

04. Birthrite - Loving You (Ain't So Easy)

05. The Mysterious Freakshow - Hedge Witch

06. Crimson Clocks – Red Violin

07. Montague Jacques Fromage - Merde! Mon Dieu! (Absinthe! Sacre Bleu!)

08. Gladstone – Night Creatures

09. Tom Slatter - Mother's Been Talking To Ghosts Again

10. Metropolis – Sirens

11. The Mechanisms - Riddle of the Sphinx

Volume II

01. The Dark Design - Haggard Rider

02. Gurdybird - Raggle Taggle Gypsy (video edit)

03. Venus de Vilo - It's My Party - I'll Die If I Want To!

04. Ague - Fifteen Leagues to Providence

05. Violent Sky - Frances (In the Gallery of Stars)

06. The Wattingers - Evil Driving Rain

07. Under A Banner – Steam

08. Ghostfire - Griminsky's Soul

09. BB BlackDog - Steam Punk Junkie

10. New Jacobin Club - Angel MMXVI

Volume III

01. Kiss Like Ether – End Game

02. Gordon Midgley - The Tell Tale Heart

03. Victor & the Bully - Every Fight Is A Food Fight For A Cannibal

04. Nathan Jon Tillett – Eternaeon

05. Heathen StrangeFellow & the VaudeVille Vagabonds – Masquerade

06. LM Cooke – Poor Jenny

07. The Filthy Spectacula - Flying Dutchman

08. Dark Sinfonia - A Murderous Breath 

09. Jessica Law - The Mermaid's Revenge

10. The Hare And The Moon - Come Unto The Corn

11. Napier's Bones - Hand of Glory

12. Feline & Strange - The City

13. Valentine Wolfe – Corvidae

14. Krankschaft - Come Fly With Us

15. Nathaniel Johnstone - Seven Veils

What we have here are three limited edition CD-R samplers of the Raising Steam download albums.

Each of these comes in a DVD box with a limited edition pin badge, only available through one of these purchases.

For your money you also get the code to get the entire downloadable versions through Bandcamp, giving you access to another ten or so songs per volume.

ALL monies raised go to the New Futures Nepal charity.

Now you may of course be wondering what the hell is Steampunk music?

The short answer is there is no such thing as steampunk music, not as a specific genre anyway.

What these samplers show is that anything is possible from classic rock to pop, dark and twisted gothic horror, folk music and even traditional British music hall.

So why is it called Steampunk? I hear you shout; my own opinion is that the “Alternative” approach allows for such freedom that many talented artists are simply drawn to something which is not locked down in a specific genre.

I would urge you to investigate if like me you have a wide variety of interests when it comes to music, perhaps the very name of Steampunk has made you avoid the music, something which to its shame the wider music press has been guilty of, thus failing to introduce their readers to some amazing classic rock music!

A few examples:

From Volume I, we have some horror tinged music hall comedy from Miss Von Trapp.  The Helicopter Quartet are clearly emulating one of Karlheinz Stockhausen many experimental compositions.

The track by Tom Slatter is quite stunning, a mix of light modern progressive rock with a vocal delivery that seems to mix David Byrne and Syd Barrett.

Finally Metropolis have a modern Hawkwind vibe with some Tubeway Army thrown in for good measure.

Up next a few from Volume II, how about Gurdybird who has mixed tribal drum rhythms with playing an actual hurdy gurdy!

Venus de Vilo brings a smile with her incredible dark and twisted mix of Nina Hagan and Alannis Morrisette.

A superb mix of seventies hard rock and proto doom Violent Sky are one of the stand outs here.

Ghostfire perform some fantastic female fronted acid folk, followed by some bass driven stoner rock from BB Blackdog.

Last one is New Jacobin Club, providing some folk tinged acoustic music with a very powerful vocal.

What does Volume III kick off with? Kiss Like Ether with some darkwave meets early industrial and perfectly mixed and delivered.

Up next is some weird space synth and then Gordon Midgley treats us to seven minutes of mesmerizing narration of Poe’s classic tale.

Dishing up some folk horror in the style of Marc Wilkinson (Blood On Satan’s Claw) and Magnet (The Wicker Man) comes The Hare & The Moon.

Valentine Wolfe are pure Symphonic Metal and keeping it heavy are Krankschaft (Hawkwind’s Robert Calvert former backing band) blending Amon Duul II with Hawklords.

Last up is Nathaniel Johnson whose take on folk rock is reminiscent of The Trees meeting All About Eve.

Well I have picked out a few, there really is much more on offer, almost every genre is represented here.

For more information, order details and a chance to preview the music go to the Raising Steam Bandcamp page.

Official Bandcamp Page

TOP 14 ALBUMS OF 2015

STATEMENT ABOUT STU'S REVIEWS

There have been no reviews posted since October 6th, that is due to serious health problems which have left me in constant physical pain and resulting in a fair amount of depression, this is still ongoing.

All review copies sent to me since that date have been deleted and no further promos have been downloaded, this will remain the situation until my health returns, i have already spoken with a numer of record company pr people on this subject.

So until i can sort myself out, there will be no more posts after this one.

TOP 14 ALBUMS OF 2015

So been a good year for music, quite a lot of interesting and original albums being produced, these are my personal choices from what has landed in my inbox or been sent to me.

STU

01.GALLEY BEGGAR - SILENCE & TEARS

02.PYOGENESIS - A CENTURY IN THE CURSE OF TIME

03.WITH THE DEAD - WITH THE DEAD

04.THE DAY OF LOCUSTS - FROM THE GUTTER TO THE GODS

05.THE DEEP - PREMONITION

06.NORSE - PEST

07.LUCIFER - LUCIFER 1

08.VALENTINE WOLFE - THE NIGHTINGALE: A GOTHIC FAIRYTALE

09.SOLDIER - DEFIANT

10,AGUE - POWERED BY EFFLUVIA

11.AL B DAMNED - FOR OLD TIMES STAKE

12.DESERT - NEVER REGRET

13.MEKIGAH - LITLOST

14.ALBATROSS - FEAR FROM THE SKIES

Ague - Powered by Effluvia (CD Review)

01.Risus Sardonicus
02.Fifty Drachms (To Kill A Man)
03.Apoplexy In Summer (Industrial Accidents)
04.Parker's Expedition
05.Ubersoldat (Gbe Age)
06.Fifteen Leagues To Providence
07.In Contempt Of Quinsy And Dropsy
08.Posing As Babalon
09.Hand Of Cinder, Hand Of Ash
10.Chapel Perilous

Half-Rats (Vocals/Instruments)

Guest
Steven C Davis (Narration on track 7)

Steampunk, Victorian Goth (Dreadpunk), there are many possible genres that could be named for this American one man band formed in December 1884, though i suspect that 2014 may be a closer date.
Multi instrumentalist Half-Rats explains: "Plain speaking...I'll say that my music is not about impressing the wrong quantity, it's about vexing the right one. Fulfilling all of the duties of my given office...such things as being the living conduit and messenger for a dead world, guarding the affects of the deceased and establishing a bastion in this time - availing myself of all resources provided here to awaken the masses; reconciling past and present to set into locomotion a vehicle to a better future."

He has created a clever "back Story" a shortened version:

In post-civil war Detroit; a man, an act existed, compounded of a singular deviancy of character and incongruity of thought in relation to the mode of its day. My presence here is owed to an unnatural power, an ancient and terrible force of primordial origin - held by ethereal beings known to me simply as the "Hellbourne". Prior to the discovery of this queer source of power, I lived, and it can be fervently argued, on the periphery of polite society - A rogueish Heir with friends of questionable moral character - both rubbing shoulders with and coming to blows with casuals, publicans and the insane...My music and lyrics treated the problems of the day, and in no sense was I welcomed even in the bawdiest of establishments - The act was certainly considered odious in the newly-reformed vaudeville shows - not due to tawdry seduction, but to the brash truth! Still, I stayed the course. If you have made the assumption that the singular event that changed my already calamitous lifestyle afforded me no opportunity for salvation - you would be correct.

Corrupt police, disease, finding myself accidentally transported to the year 1916, frictions with socio-political movements, supernatural forces, bar brawls, pistols, the malcontent back-alley butcher, mad professors, reanimated super-soldiers...It was all there for me to contend with.

A touch of swing meets classic americana and 'Risus Sardonicus' launches us into the complex and (as yet) unkown world of Ague. This light near acoustic opener is then followed by a much darker piece: 'Fifty Drachms (To Kill A Man)'. A great vocal performance that is not a million miles away from Rufus Wainwright or Danny Elfman, excellent guitar playing and some nice keyboard work in the mix as well.

With its carnival keyboards 'Apoplexy In Summer (Industrial Accidents)' is a happy sounding song with some great backing harmony vocals, yet somehow its a disturbing piece, reminiscent at times of the Stranglers 'waltzinblack'.

'Parker's Expedition' has this wonderful old fashioned feel to it, another stunning vocal performance, this one has more than a touch of the cabaret about it.

Cannot go wrong with some harpsicord and 'Ubersoldat (Gbe Age)' has a great intro by said instrument and it is present throughout the strange mix of drums and more harmonic backing vocals.

'Fifteen Leagues To Providence' takes us back to early 1950's jazz and rock n roll with its solid guitarwork and hand clapping style backing music. This has a dark, almost, New Orleans "night tripper" vibe!

The intro this eight minute epic 'In Contempt Of Quinsy And Dropsy' is spoken by Steampunk author Steven C Davis over a quiet keyboard backing, telling us the tale of Dr.Parker and the effergies of the songs title.
The music then takes over and treats us to an almost symphonic rock song, good use of keyboard orchestration, driving drum patterns and another solid vocal performance.

Up next is the surprising 'Posing As Babalon', i say that because it has some pretty heavy guitarwork and a dark gothic undertone. The ghost of proto-doom metal lurks here, added to the driving drums and guitar playing is a great old sound "farfisa" keyboard sound.

Once again 'Hand Of Cinder, Hand Of Ash' offers us some more in the way of heavier music, this is another well orchestrated piece with some punchy powerchords coming through, all this creates a dark gothic rock monster which at one point includes some pure demonic vocals that would not be out of place on a cradle of filth album!
Yet somehow this song manages to mix in some 1950's guitar riffs and have an operatic edge as well.

I wonder where this final track will go? Well 'Chapel Perilous' returns us to that jazz/swing sound, a perfect way to end a very clever album full of different styles and superb sound production.

Rating 9/10
For fans of: Danny Elfman, Joe Black, Dr John, Midnight Syndicate, Juke Baritone, Wednesday 13

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