Music: A3 (or Alabama 3)

"And from that day forward told you to go out and spread my word through music: sweet, pretty, country acid house music..."

Known in the US mainly for the infectious theme to HBO's The Sopranos, A3 has been a high-number fixture on United Kingdom chats for over a decade and appeared in the soundtracks of many BBC series. The idea for the band's sound came when Londoners Jake Black and Rob Spragg decided that country and acid house music could co-exits together; a lion lying down with a lamb. Country music is not without its own sub-genres and the style chosen for the pairing was possibly the most dissimilar from acid house: folk/gospel. The combination lends itself to irony. Similar to ICP and Zug Izland, the members of A3 each have an on-stage persona. Indeed, at times the band itself seems to aspire to a tent revivalist alter-ego.



Known outside the United States as Alabama 3, the band modified its name to avoid legal conflicts with the straight-up country band Alabama. Unfortunately, internet search engines doesn't treat the shorter name kindly. A3 is currently touring and working on a album that promises to be rights-friendly to third party input. Current albums are readily available through online retailers.

Television: Probe

Before CSI (2000) debunked and solved crimes with science and House M.D. (2004) disparaged humanity, there was Austin James and Probe. Debuting as a mid-season replacement on ABC in 1988, Probe followed many of the cliches of 80s crimes dramas: a bickering duo solving mysteries with the usual number of pre-commercial cliff-hangers, car chases, and a synthesized score. What set it apart for its time was the clever use of science and Sherlockian logic to unravel the storylines.

Parker Stevenson (pre-Baywatch) starred as misanthropic genius, Austin James, the founder of and expatriate from a massive tech corporation. Ashley Crow, playing secretary Mickey, provided the common sense foil for James's overbearing and manic brilliance.

Co-created by Isaac Asimov, the show had distinctly a skeptical slant. It relied on more reality-based science fiction concepts, eschewing the supernatural as an explanation for phenomena. Many of the plots were based around James's tech company, poking at the notion of corporate mismanagement. Some plot devices are far-fetched, but this is science *fiction* after all.

Introduction to Mickey, Serendip and Austin James:




Ratings were never high during its half season run and Probe wasn't renewed after its initial six episodes. Regardless, the show still maintains a small devoted following. Since it is not currently available in any video format, I have no compunction about linking to the YouTube clips. YouTube user thunderwolf429 has made all the episodes available and they can also be found at Probe Resurrected.

Television: "Carnivàle"

While it might be debatable whether a television show that enjoyed two seasons on a major cable network can be considered "obscure," HBO's Carnivàle has been gravely overlooked. The project began with great ambition. Debuting in September of 2003, the series depicts a supernatural battle of good versus evil against the backdrop of a traveling carnival during Dust Bowl era America. On opposing sides of the conflict, the cast starred Nick Stahl (Terminator 3, Sin City) as an Oklahoman fugitive and Clancy Brown (Highlander, The Shawshank Redemption) as a Methodist minister.



To complete its overarching plot, "Carnivàle" was set to run six seasons; every two seasons completing a "book" of the "trilogy." Unfortunately, with a budget of $4 million per episode and flagging ratings, HBO canceled the show, leaving much of the story unresolved. Despite its ambiguous ending, "Carnivàle" is worth watching. The 1930s setting is fairly unique to television and is well executed. The tone is similar to Ray Bradbury at his darkest, but without any of the innocence Bradbury might bring to it. The show is polished, though the storyline tends to lean toward the Byzantine.

"Carnivàle" is currently available from Amazon.com for a reasonable price and can also be found through most DVD rental services. HBO continues to maintain a website for "Carnivàle" that includes many behind-the-scenes and making-of clips.

Nouvelle Vague

As I've mentioned before, cover songs give a muscial artist, especially an lesser known artist, the opportunity to play in sandbox that is familiar to listeners. Regardless, not many bands attempt more than a handful of cover songs during their careers. Few want the title of "cover band." That label's unsavory connotation possibly exists because most cover bands stick to faithful renditions of songs. Very few have the character to embrace such a label and do so with style. Nouvelle Vague is one of those bands.

Meaning "new wave" in French and "bossa nova" in Portuguese¹, Nouvelle Vague began with its name firmly in mind. Their first album contained covers of songs from the New Wave era done in bossa nova style. The pairing, while strange, leads to music with a dreamy, surreal quality. Additionally, band masterminds Marc Collin and Olivier Libaux often used chanteuses that were not familiar with the original, lending freshness to their vocals.

"Love Will Tear Us Apart" (orinally by Joy Division) off of Nouvelle Vague, 2004:


Such a construct could only lend itself to one album without evolution. Nouvelle Vague has currently managed three since 2004. Their second album Bande à Part deviated somewhat from the bossa nova premise, adding elements of ska, reggae, and other styles while keeping breathy vocals and signature bounciness. Their third album 3 branches into country and bluegrass sounds. 3 also contains guest vocals by the song's original vocalists. For example, "Master and Servant" with Melanie Pain and Depeche Mode's Martin Gore:



Nouvelle Vague's first two albums are available through Amazon.com and other retailers. 3 has a June 2009 release date and isn't yet readily available.

¹http://www.nouvellesvagues.com/ABOUT_texte.html

Rasputina

There's a fine line between obscure and niche, and Rasputina might cross that line. After all, "cello rock" isn't exactly a genre that has received wide play. Yet through some not entirely obvious connections, Rasputina could be the most popular cello rock band in existence. Though Melora Creager toured with Nirvana, a single off their first album was remixed by Marylin Manson, and the band has opened for such artists as Manson and Porno for Pyros, Rasputina maintains a decidedly Victorian/steampunk/goth edge. Even Creager's lyric and vocal have a demure, yet subversive tone. Her song writing isn't afraid to touch on history and every album has one dryly humorous spoken track that mirrors Creager's concert banter.

"Transylvanian Concubine" from 1996's Thanks for the Ether:


Rasputina's first album, Thanks for the Ether, was released by Columbia Records in 1996, five years after the band formed. Columbia released How We Quit the Forest, their second effort, as well. Chris Vrenna of Nine Inch Nails joined them as drummer and producer on this second album, leading to slightly harder, distorted sound. Neither was particularly appealing to a wide audience. The band's next two albums would be released on Instinct Records and 2007's Oh Perilous World was released independently. All albums are currently available through Amazon.com as downloads and selectively in other formats.

kidneythieves

The intersection of industrial metal and female-driven rock can be interesting. Such a crossroad is inhabited by Kidneythieves. Primarily a duo consisting of Free Dominguez' vocals and Bruce Somers' engineering talents, the band's uncommon sound earned them some soundtrack notice with only two albums of original music produced. Dominguez' voice may lack the purity and range of some (Evanescence' Amy Lee for example), but the fierce emotion imparted in her lyrics is unrivaled.

"Zerospace" off of the 2002 album of the same name: (mostly work safe)


Kidneythieves first album, Trickster, was released in 1998. Despite its remaster/re-release as Trickstereprocess in 2004, it remains a difficult album to find. Zerospace, released in 2002 by Warner Bros., is readily available (as is its complimentary remix EP Phi in the Sky). As of mid-2008, there has been news of Somers and Dominguez working on a new album. The track "Dark Horse" is available in streaming form at the band's MySpace. The album Fake Western Vista is NOT by this band, but by a different The Kidneythieves.

Sister Machine Gun

Sister Machine Gun might be the best industrial jazz band to have ever existed. Indeed, they might also have had the title of "only" industrial jazz band if not for Die Warzau's occasional dabbling. The two bands are closely linked. Van Christie and Jim Marcus of Die Warsau were instrumental in Chris Randall's first Sister Machine Gun demos for Wax Trax! Records in ~1990.

The band's first two albums, Sins of the Flesh and The Torture Technique, are primarily industrial efforts, but with more melodious qualities than is common to the genre.



The Torture Technique is a perfect product of the CD format; each track flows one to the next to create an entire experience that could not have been attained in the era of A-side/B-side records and cassettes, and is undervalued in today's playlist culture. Much of Sister Machine Gun's music is better enjoyed in album form, and perhaps it was this lack of "singles" that contributed to the band's eventual departure from Wax Trax! in 1997.

Albums subsequent to The Torture Technique contained more jazz influences. Sax solos crept into Burn (1995) and Randall's natural jazz vocals were highlighted in such tracks as "Temptation" off of Metropolis (1997) and "Closer to Me" from 1999's [R]evolution.



[R]evolution marked the band's first album on Positron! Records, a label founded by Chris Randall and his wife Lisa. In 1999, internet opportunities for independent musicians were in their infancy, but Positron! Records was willing to take chances, offering full sample mp3s, non-DRM albums for purchase, and Creative Commons licensing. Sister Machine Gun released two more full length albums as well as several interstitial EPs before disbanding in 2007. Randall has since released an album of straight-forward jazz/blues.

Sister Machine Gun's albums are available through Positron! Records, Amazon.com, or other online retailers.