Your favorite steampunk music

saellys · **Posted:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 3:18 am

Back when I was starting on my steampunk novel, I made a mix to help me along. (It didn't work, as the novel is still unfinished, but the mix is nevertheless one of my favorites.) It included particularly steampunky tracks from artists like Neutral Milk Hotel, Syd Matters, and Eisley, as well as an instrumental by Sigur Ros and a few soundtrack bits.

My criteria for choosing these songs varies. I like songs and bands with anachronistic tendencies, but anything that hits the right emotional vein could get thrown in. Next I want to put together a playlist that doesn't just apply to my novel, but could work as background music at a steampunk party. So I want to know what you guys do when you're writing steampunk novels, sewing overcoats, or otherwise misapplying technology. It can be an individual song, an album, or a band's entire catalog. Any music that sounds steampunk to you is fair game. Go!

Tock · **Posted:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 3:26 am

I've got to put an album together for my own novel now...I've thought of it, but you've inspired me.

And how I choose "steampunk" music is not a thing that can be described in words unless emotion has a language...you said it well when you said that it is anything that hits the right emotional vein. Often it is songs with an anachronistic flair to them. Old, scratchy recordings from the earlier 1900s, while they may not chronologically click into the style, carry the same emotion, too. Heck, I could probably find something from the 80s that is steampunk to me; it's timeless.

carpejugulum · **Posted:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 3:33 am

Here's a setlist for a TeaParty I DJed--wide variety of tracks and genres there:

Chris Vrenna - Flying on the Wings of Steam (Remix)
The Fall - Spoilt Victorian Child
Alan Moore and Tim Perkins - Opium Nights (Sell Me More, Sell Me More)
Evestus - Jetflight Part 2 - Bad Trip
Blackbird RAUM - Honey in the Hair
Johnny Hollow - Stolen
Rasputina - Antique High Heel Red Doll Shoes
A Midnight Choir - The Drunken Elephant March
Maduro - Nachtmahr
This Morn' Omina - Epoch
Hybrid - Finished Symphony (Hybrid's Echoplex Mix Radio Edit)
Assemblage 23 - Decades (V2)
Aphex Twin - Nannou
Michael Moorcock's Deep Fix - Time Centre
Magpie - Oil and Hell in the Sky (vocal)

You can download it here: https://www.slashtmp.iu.edu/public/download.php?FILE=ebulloff/21299piqNcF. I think the set's still there. It's one big-ass track with all the transitions. The party was a dance event so I tried to keep a good beat to it. We had a floor full of waltzing folks and bellydancers.

Notice our good friend Magpie's at the end!

saellys · **Posted:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 4:08 am

Wicked--thanks for the link, Libby! I'll be listening shortly; I've heard none of those artists so I'm looking forward to it.

I just realized I neglected to make any of my own actual recommendations for steampunk songs and bands, so here are a few, with commentary.

Bands and Artists

Midlake - A decidedly anachronistic band. Their latest album, The Trials of Van Occupanther, has several tracks that could be considered steampunk: "Roscoe" is a delicious bit of vintage-sounding rock and "Young Bride" could suit a more mellow affair. Their debut Bamnan and Slivercork is a lot more eccentric and as a whole I think it better fits the steampunk aesthetic.

Jonny Greenwood - Radiohead's lead guitarist is also the BBC's composer-in-residence and has written the scores for Bodysong and There Will Be Blood. His all-instrumental work is tremendous; if "Clockwork Tin Soldiers" on Bodysong doesn't convince you, track down one of his compositions for theremin.

Murder By Death - When I think of steampunk, I think of Victorian London, as I'm sure many others do. Strangely, even though I consider Murder By Death a very American-sounding band (I can't quantify that assertion at all; my mind just draws these connections for no reason), I can not listen to In Bocca Al Lupo without associating it automatically with steampunk. Their sound is modern, and at times surprisingly heavy, but their lyrics are brothels and coal mines and pirate ships and stuff.

Songs

"When Under Ether," PJ Harvey - When I was writing a novel called Aether, this was one of the tracks on my writing mix. Hah, get it? Er, anyway, it's a great song--very stark, with just piano and some keening, wavery vocals. Not at all what I'd come to expect from Ms. Harvey.

"Many Funerals," Eisley - The quintessential street urchin song.

"The Shape of Things to Come," Bear McCreary - This is actually from the Battlestar Galactica season one soundtrack, but it's way too grandiose to be confined to conventional science fiction. This is zeppelin music.

porkshanks · **Posted:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 7:14 am

I really love Rasputina... oh so good.

I also like... um, hey I just got an idea... I want to put together a set list as well... if I do it will someone help me put it up somewhere? I would just list the names but some of the stuff I have is so obscure it's not available anywhere online! I do want to share it very badly!

saellys · **Posted:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 7:16 am

If it's hosting you need, I can give you a temporary FTP account on my site.

magpie · **Posted:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 8:13 am

my favorite steampunk band at the moment is The Dust Collectors. I've only got 4 tracks by them though, a remarkable EP. but I reviewed in the magazine, so I guess a bunch of you already know how I feel about it.

As for steampunk-ish music, I'm a huge fan of punk jug bands. The Dead Man Street Orchestra, Blackbird Raum, and The Curse Is Cast come to mind immediately.

http://www.anti-politics.net/raum/
blackbird raum: check out that sexy, sexy accordion player

http://www.myspace.com/thecurseiscast
the curse is cast

http://www.myspace.com/streetorchestra
dead man street orchestra

http://www.myspace.com/dustcollectors
the dust collcetors

porkshanks · **Posted:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 9:54 am

lol I saw Raum play a few songs at Folklife, I liked them... although I love love love Dead Man Street Orchestra!

I hadn't heard the other two, but they are good as well! its nice to hear authentic punk-punk in a retro band ala Dust Collectors... yums!

I like your taste in music!

Saellys... oh that would be great! I will contact you when I get this mix done.
thanks!

Molly

carpejugulum · **Posted:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 12:57 pm

Raum's the bomb! :-D

It's Magpie's fault I played them. Wonderful stuff.

Murder by Death is from my town--they're a wonderful group and their cellist never ceases to make me blush with glee.

thomas ravenbrook · **Posted:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 1:37 pm

carpejugulum, your setlist is really nice! liked to listened to it. For now i listen to beat circus because i like how they sound, it is a kind of anachronism, americana band, i also find that some of primus's songs are steampunk, songs like over the falls, golden boy and arnie, all from the brown album that is really my favorite from primus. It just sound like the old good times, maybe it is because of that i listen to them.

NightCat · **Posted:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 9:44 pm

Unfortunately I think I have strong preconceived notions of what I think SteamPunk should sound like. I don't "hear" the steampunk in some of the bands who say they are in some way Steampunk.

Please don't mistake my intention. I am not interested in arguing what is or isn't steampunk. I am just having a conversation and sharing my ideas and interestes. Also, haven't gone through the links in this thread so I am not targeting any bands mentioned in this thread.. OK?

In "my" mind SteamPunk sounds like Tom Waits and I'm not sure I'll be able to shake that off.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0-KhvrGwCU - Going out West video I guess this would be my personal definition of SteamPunk.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVGQWlvRJXA - Going out West Live

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wfamPW3Eaw - Chocolate Jesus

Any one here "16 Horsepower" fans? I am a die hard fan. Maybe not exactly steampunk but it is ... something. Goth-country??? Death-gospel?? I thought you folks might like them. Dark, stark and creapy what's not to like??!!! Yeah!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0dpHMRWAz0 Pour Mouth

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYxkZUjcTj4 - Cinder Alley

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVm74OkoQmM - Haw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aQazLIxyzk

Hopefully all the Portland folks are aware of their homeboys, HillStomp.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12K2cKttWgs - John Henry

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o351JopAJYA - Black Mattie

Anyway.... Enjoy.

Later,
NightCat

carpejugulum · **Posted:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 9:47 pm

Tom Waits - Going Out West = <3 <3 <3
BEST EVER.

Tock · **Posted:** Thu Dec 20, 2007 1:42 am

NightCat wrote:

Any one here "16 Horsepower" fans?

Yes! I've been wondering who had heard of them. That they put a dark spin on country is what I like to say.

NightCat · **Posted:** Thu Dec 20, 2007 3:19 am

Tock wrote:

NightCat wrote:

Any one here "16 Horsepower" fans?

Yes! I've been wondering who had heard of them. That they put a dark spin on country is what I like to say.

When I need to go to that dark spot and just work for hours on a project I put on 16 HP and just let the CD's play back to back. It does something to my brain waves. It is a dark but very productive space.

How about the band Morphine? I confess an addiction to the band Morphine. Not a steampunk band but I build a lot to this music. Two string slide bass... How cool is that?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yP8QhblSkRI& - Buena
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=985JGeGq_tc - Cure for Pain

Mark Sandman singer/songwriter and bass player died of a heart attack on stage while performing... Beat that!

~NC

SusurrusIgnoramus · **Posted:** Thu Dec 20, 2007 5:02 pm

i know this is slightly off topic, but i didn't know where else i might post it, and it doesn't warrant its own thread, but does anybody have any idea how an electric guitar might work in a steampunk universe?

i've been racking my brain for days trying to figure something out and can't do it...

oh, and also, tom waits rules.

NightCat · **Posted:** Thu Dec 20, 2007 6:06 pm

SusurrusIgnoramus wrote:

i know this is slightly off topic, but i didn't know where else i might post it, and it doesn't warrant its own thread, but does anybody have any idea how an electric guitar might work in a steampunk universe?

i've been racking my brain for days trying to figure something out and can't do it...

oh, and also, tom waits rules.

You should start this as a new topic. I think it has potential.

The few steampunk guitars I have see the "steampunk" has been cosmetic. They look VERY cool but they don't function any different than a standard guitar. To change it in some way so that it could possibly have been used in the alternative Victorian era... That could be tough.

Something to think about -> The pickups in a guitar are super crude microphones. Instead of a diaphragm vibrating to create the audio signal you have the metal strings. Therefore, any ferrous metal vibrated over the pickups will generate an audio signal. I have seen guitar players lay thin metal shims on top of humbuckers and shout at them. The yelling vibrates the shim enough that it creates a faint audio signal that can be processed through the guitars signal chain. Very industrial sounding, it just comes out as vaguely humanoid/robotic noise. How to use that to create something Steampunk I have no idea, just food for thought.

Another idea might be to lay the guitar flat, open tune it like the slide players, find a nice piece of brass to use as a slide and bang on the strings with a drum stick or a drumstick with a padded end. I could see a totally clock worked guitar, so tweaked that it didn't look much like a guitar, more like a clock worked lap steel guitar. Play it standing up and as a percussive instrument. Might even work better if it was a bass guitar.

That's all I can think of for now.

~NC

the_Hat · **Joined:** Sat Dec 22, 2007 8:04 pm **Posts:** 8

-Eisley www.myspace.com/eisley
-Joy Electric (not exactly steampunk, but he has a whole song dedicated to Nicola Tesla) www.myspace.com/joyelectric
-Dr. Steel www.doctorsteel.com
-Abney Park www.myspace.com/abneypark
-Vernian Process www.gothpunk.com/formaldihyde/vernianprocess.html

porkshanks · **Posted:** Sun Dec 23, 2007 1:59 pm

I'm really starting to see 2 major types of steampunk develop... and the music is also reflecting this... you have this dreamy sort of utopian future pretty stuff and then the dirty gritty occulty stuff... anyone else see this?

Okay Tom Waits is awesome, I've loved him since Swordfishtrombones... yum!

Hey, so anyone else here listen to Camper Van Beethoven... not exactly steampunk overall, but their live album pretty much is:

http://www.amazon.com/Camper-Beethoven- ... B00004TA1S

Check out these albums also:

http://www.amazon.com/Beloved-Revolutio ... im_m_img_9

http://www.amazon.com/Key-Lime-Pie-Camp ... gy_m_img_b

Even the art is very appropriate to the feel... I dunno, I recommend them as one of my favorite bands of all time... they have something for everyone, and I think most of their music would appeal to a lot of steampunkins, even if they aren't technically fitting the style.

check them out in action:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPamT08D ... re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9yyvzQs ... re=related

Anyone else enjoy them?

also, just noticed this little treat:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSzTPGlN ... re=related

Molly

Doc Jones · **Joined:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 5:31 pm **Posts:** 147

there's sooo much music that - in my honest opinion - is in one way or the other connected with the idea behind steampunk , even if it isn't punk or something similar ...

u may listen closer to songs like "navigation" by orchestral manoeuvres in the dark or "steam machine" by freur ( the band that only had a strange squiggle as a symbol 1st , but not even a real band name !

) , besides the music of in the nursery , queen adreena , the screaming trees ( from the u.k. ! - fyi : http://www.myspace.com/thescreamingtreesuk ) or if u already like rasputina , u'll most likely also enjoy the should of zoe keating & julia kent's cello works ... & even imogen heap & especially thomas dolby are somehow steampunks in a special way & if u look some closer to it ! :wink:

more about them maybe later here from me ...

until then ... hear some music !

Twirble · **Joined:** Fri Dec 28, 2007 4:22 pm **Posts:** 34

Has anyone heard "Momus"? Some of his songs have a supernatural and Victorian feel to them.

Quote:

Momus -
"London 1888"

[ from the album "20 Vodka Jellies" (1996) ]
Lyrics

Cellophane grandfather clock
I hope your hands will never stop
Rescue me from my ugly block
In Tokyo, 21st century
To London, 1888
I am descended from a great
Clan of the Meiji shogunate
And I am travelling extensively

It's London 1888
I sit here drinking nettle wine
My family is in decline
And I confess the fault is mine
The doorman's sure to sit and wait
To see who I'll bring home tonight
I'll pay him cash to keep him quiet
I am a libertine

Cellophane grandfather clock
You've got my conscience on the trot
You've got me walking round the block
You've got me searching for experience
Cellophane grandfather clock
I am a Buddhist, I am not
Victorian, I love your shops
But your morality is meaningless

It's London 1888
And I have learned the game of chess
I have a club, it's on the Strand
I'm a dishonourable man
And Tokyo is far away
The English wear a poker face
The latest craze is called 'Croquet'
I am a stranger here

I am the Marquis Matsugae
And I came questioning through time
But is the grave my sole reply?

And Sherlock Holmes is my good friend
I have a trust fund I can spend
And I am ready to defend
My immorality to anyone
And Whistler painted me in grey
I had his mother round to stay
And she sat knitting in her chair
And staring through me disapprovingly

And Aubrey Beardsley sketches me
And Oscar Wilde comes round for tea
But I still feel so Japanese
When I'm alone on Piccadilly
And in Green Park there is a band
Medieval lillie in my hand
I watch the sailors on the bus
A little lustfully

I am the Marquis Matsugae
I came adventuring in time
But is the grave my sole reply?

Cellophane grandfather clock
I hear you ticking while I talk
In my apartment on Pall Mall
To stable boys of easy provenance
Cellophane grandfather clock
The incense on my mantelpiece
Covers the reek of smelly socks
As I prepare them to be compromised

It's London 1888
It's 6 o'clock and I am late
For some disreputable date
With sordid appetites I hate
I hope these crimes will never stop
And like the hands upon the clock
My hands will touch and he'll respond
And go beyond

I am the Marquis Matsugae
And I came questioning through time
But is the grave my sole reply?

It's London 1888
I am the Marquis Matsugae
And I came questioning through time
And is the grave my sole reply?

http://www.phespirit.info/momus/19960208.htm

(nice to meet everyone)

Dezmodus · **Posted:** Thu Jan 03, 2008 3:08 am

Quote:

-Dr. Steel www.doctorsteel.com

YAY!!! I wondered if he was going to get a mention (are you a toy soldier by chance?)

I LOVE Tom Waits, and Rasputina, Abney Park and Vernian Process are generally what i think of when i think steampunk, but there's one (and i know you're going to call me crazy, but hey, i'm entitled to my own lame opinions) that seems a bit steampunkish while never trying to be. Dog Fashion Disco (dirty, gritty, obscene, morbid....but put all that together with the oddball organs and whistles and general circus/fair music feel of it and you've got something)

Doc Jones · **Joined:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 5:31 pm **Posts:** 147

how about ... the band of holy joy ( fyi : http://www.bohj.co.uk/ ) !? :mrgreen:

shade · **Posted:** Mon Jan 21, 2008 1:46 am

there's another steampunk music thread going on in hot air. there might be some new artists mentioned there. check it out: http://www.steampunkmagazine.com/forum/ ... .php?t=252

Dezmodus · **Posted:** Mon Jan 21, 2008 8:53 pm

as i posted there, i will post here as well,

a group called Sepiachord is doing the hard work for us, searching myspace for new bands that fall into the Steampunk way of things and presenting them to us for our own enjoyment

enjoy

kiskolou · **Joined:** Sun Dec 16, 2007 8:04 pm **Posts:** 88

The Scarring Party is perhaps a little late for steampunk, but they make me feel all warm and happy inside, like steampunk.

Though according to their myspace, they were brought together by a freak zeppelin accident. So maybe they just haven't come all the way out of the closet yet.

Arbeiter · **Posted:** Tue Jan 22, 2008 4:17 am

kiskolou wrote:

The Scarring Party is perhaps a little late for steampunk, but they make me feel all warm and happy inside, like steampunk.

Though according to their myspace, they were brought together by a freak zeppelin accident. So maybe they just haven't come all the way out of the closet yet.

I would place the Scarring party firmly into this genre. Might not be victorian in practice, but def Edwardian... I personally would state I'm an Edwardian *-punk if I was to put a label on it so I'm all about them.

Dezmodus · **Posted:** Tue Jan 22, 2008 2:54 pm

i don't know if Tom Lehrer got a mention already, but perhaps he should.

NightCat · **Posted:** Wed Jan 30, 2008 12:37 am

Dig this goth/steampunk classic video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuezNswtRfo

'course no one knew it was "steampunk" then!

One of my favorite bands of yore - The Sisters of Mercy - Lucretia, My Reflection.

I think I bought all this stuff so long ago it is all on vinyl....

~NC

XaqFixx · **Posted:** Wed Jan 30, 2008 2:24 am

I really dig on Munly & The Lee Lewis Harlots. They have a POst Punk Alt Country sound... I've heard several Nick Cave comparisons. They use alot of traditional and folk instruments, and dark folk tale song lyrics.

carpejugulum · **Posted:** Wed Jan 30, 2008 2:25 pm

Dezmodus wrote:

i don't know if Tom Lehrer got a mention already, but perhaps he should.

Now I have "I Got It From Agnes" stuck in my head. :D

Your favorite steampunk music

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