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.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
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.
"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.
Monday, May 4, 2009
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.
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.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
Unto Ashes
Gothic: adj.In many ways, the music of Unto Ashes embodies the concept of "gothic" more fully than typical goth bands like The Cure, Bauhaus, or The Sisters of Mercy. Founded, produced, and largely performed by Maichael Laird, Unto Ashes eschews the harsh, thundering darkness that can be summoned by electric guitars and basses. Instead, a medieval atmosphere is created with the use of 13th and 14th century instrumentation (such as dulcimers and bells) and writings. While relatively known for their cover of Don't Fear the Reaper, this band can also do justice to Petrarch and traditional songs. Even when Unto Ashes veers into more modern fare, there is still an expansive, soaring quality that is evocative of gothic architecture. Laird is not alone in this project: nearly a dozen artists lend vocal and instrument-playing talent.The Free Dictionary
- Of or relating to the Middle Ages; medieval.
- a. Of or relating to an architectural style prevalent in western Europe from the 12th through the 15th century and characterized by pointed arches, rib vaulting, and a developing emphasis on verticality and the impression of height.
- Of or relating to painting, sculpture, or other art forms prevalent in northern Europe from the 12th through the 15th century.
- Of or relating to a style of fiction that emphasizes the grotesque, mysterious, and desolate.
Currently their website features two full-length mp3s that showcase the band:
"Fly on the Windscreen" (Depeche Mode cover) off the forthcoming album The Blood of My Lady:
"Emptiness" from Grave Blessings (2005):
Throughout their career, Unto Ashes has been handled by Projekt, Records and are easily available online.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Transister
The 90s did not lack for female-lead alternative bands. Garbage, Curve, Poe, Elastica, The Breeders and Veruca Salt come to mind with very little effort expended. In 1997-98, a vigilant music buyer might have noticed a CD by another such band, Transister, featured at the listening stations of Best Buy and other such stores.
Formed in late 1995 by three music industry veterans, Transister has much of what makes these bands appealing: a female vocalist as the foil to harder-edged music. Keely Hawkes is talented at using the voice she has, and Eric Pressly's writing is a cut above average with sly, clever lyrics. On the whole, the band's one eponymous album (released in 1997) is very consistent but never boring. Each song has a very distinct and complex sound.
"Falling Off the World" from the album Transister (1997):
Interscope/Virgin records took interest and released the album Transister after several self-produced tracks gained attention on KCRW in Santa Monica. Despite this initial popularity and inclusion on several movie soundtracks, Transister never hit it big. The group produced one official music video. While the song is a personal favorite, it does not do justice to the range of sounds that is presented on the album:
Transister is currently out of print and not being offered in digital form, but is available new used through various channels. While the members of the band have gone on to pursue other projects, Transister's MySpace has been updated in the recent past and includes some remixes and promises of rare tracks.
Formed in late 1995 by three music industry veterans, Transister has much of what makes these bands appealing: a female vocalist as the foil to harder-edged music. Keely Hawkes is talented at using the voice she has, and Eric Pressly's writing is a cut above average with sly, clever lyrics. On the whole, the band's one eponymous album (released in 1997) is very consistent but never boring. Each song has a very distinct and complex sound.
"Falling Off the World" from the album Transister (1997):
Interscope/Virgin records took interest and released the album Transister after several self-produced tracks gained attention on KCRW in Santa Monica. Despite this initial popularity and inclusion on several movie soundtracks, Transister never hit it big. The group produced one official music video. While the song is a personal favorite, it does not do justice to the range of sounds that is presented on the album:
Transister is currently out of print and not being offered in digital form, but is available new used through various channels. While the members of the band have gone on to pursue other projects, Transister's MySpace has been updated in the recent past and includes some remixes and promises of rare tracks.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
"Cry Little Sister" Edition
"Cry Little Sister," or the theme from The Lost Boys is an interesting intersection for obscure bands. Many oft-covered song are, but in this case even the original is shrouded in misinformation.
Due to mis-tagging and mis-attribution in early file sharing communities, "Cry Little Sister" was most often tied to The Sisters of Mercy, despite the vocalist sounding nothing like Sister's Andrew Eldritch. The original writer and performer of the song is Gerard McMahon, who has also been credited as Gerard McMann and is now releasing under the band G TOM MAC. Arguably, the use of pseudonyms hasn't served Gerard McMahon well. McMahon, though not a typical commercial success as a solo performer, has been a prolific songwriter, writing for such musicians as Roger Daltry, Kiss, and Chicago as well as contributing to many other 80s soundtracks. For the most part, McMahon is now correctly given credit for "Cry Little Sister." Indeed, 80s nostalgia has given the track new life. With the release of The Lost Boys: The Tribe in 2008, the song was covered by Aiden and remixed by G TOM MAC. The original and the remix can be heard on G TOM MAC's MySpace and can be purchased through many online outlets. Surprisingly, the single never charted in the US in its initial release.
The song went relatively uncovered until Zug Izland's "Cry" was released in 2003. Since then, covers have been produced on a nearly annual basis, mostly by goth bands (a genre where the differences between "obscure" and "niche" could be debated).
"Cry" from the album Cracked Tiles, Zug Izland, 2003:
Zug Izland is not a goth band in the traditional sense. Their first album Cracked Tiles was produced by Insane Clown Posse member Joseph Bruce and includes ICP on several of the tracks. This lends the album a strong hip-hop-horror aspect that is far from the punk or dark electronic that has come to represent the body of goth music. Zug Izland's fairly faithful rendition of "Cry" has more in common with the band's second less-ICP-influenced album, 3:33.
Zug Izland is currently not easy to find. They parted was with Psychopathic Records records in 2004 and have gone out of print since then. Many of their songs can be heard through their MySpace or their orphaned Downloads page. (It should be noted that much of Zug Izland's music is not work safe or for the easily offended.)
Due to mis-tagging and mis-attribution in early file sharing communities, "Cry Little Sister" was most often tied to The Sisters of Mercy, despite the vocalist sounding nothing like Sister's Andrew Eldritch. The original writer and performer of the song is Gerard McMahon, who has also been credited as Gerard McMann and is now releasing under the band G TOM MAC. Arguably, the use of pseudonyms hasn't served Gerard McMahon well. McMahon, though not a typical commercial success as a solo performer, has been a prolific songwriter, writing for such musicians as Roger Daltry, Kiss, and Chicago as well as contributing to many other 80s soundtracks. For the most part, McMahon is now correctly given credit for "Cry Little Sister." Indeed, 80s nostalgia has given the track new life. With the release of The Lost Boys: The Tribe in 2008, the song was covered by Aiden and remixed by G TOM MAC. The original and the remix can be heard on G TOM MAC's MySpace and can be purchased through many online outlets. Surprisingly, the single never charted in the US in its initial release.
The song went relatively uncovered until Zug Izland's "Cry" was released in 2003. Since then, covers have been produced on a nearly annual basis, mostly by goth bands (a genre where the differences between "obscure" and "niche" could be debated).
"Cry" from the album Cracked Tiles, Zug Izland, 2003:
Zug Izland is not a goth band in the traditional sense. Their first album Cracked Tiles was produced by Insane Clown Posse member Joseph Bruce and includes ICP on several of the tracks. This lends the album a strong hip-hop-horror aspect that is far from the punk or dark electronic that has come to represent the body of goth music. Zug Izland's fairly faithful rendition of "Cry" has more in common with the band's second less-ICP-influenced album, 3:33.
Zug Izland is currently not easy to find. They parted was with Psychopathic Records records in 2004 and have gone out of print since then. Many of their songs can be heard through their MySpace or their orphaned Downloads page. (It should be noted that much of Zug Izland's music is not work safe or for the easily offended.)
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