Abney Park - Aether Shanties 2009

Abney Park

Aether Shanties (2009) Cover Art

Abney Park is a band that my friends Melissa and Jason turned me on to a few weeks back.  They lent me two albums Aether Shanties (2009) and Lost Horizons (2008).  This band is funky and interesting.  They are a self-stylized Steampunk band.  Their music probably falls into a broad category or genre such as Alternative or Electronica, but I find these are not adequate labels for Abney Park.  They have Alternative features and a Rock influence.  They tie in electronic pieces, but also use accordions and fiddles.  Like much of the Steampunk scene they are into ideas of sailing, exploration, and sea empires.  Due to this genre focus, the strongest influence is probably Sea Shanties and Sailors Chanties, also called Worksongs, rather than the Electronica or Alternative Rock scenes.

Abney Park Band Poster

A bit more discussion of Steampunk subculture is probably needed to totally get Abney Park. Steampunk started as a sub-genre of science fiction often dealing with alternative histories.  In the world of Steampunk steam is still the dominant form of generating energy, though early electric inventions such as vacuum tubes are sometimes prominent as well.  Jules Verne, HG Wells, and other early sci-fi writers formed the basis for the anachronistic technology of the Steampunk genre.

Both as a sub-genre and, in the case of Abney Park and its fans, as a subculture Steampunk obsesses with the Victorian Era and England.  The things associated with the era like sea travel, early exploration/archaeology, and empires play out prominently in Steampunk.  In the case of Abney Park, they combine sea travel with science fiction or supernatural ideas like Aether travel and the dark horrors that strike a crew at sea.  This band represents a story as well as music.  The band itself plays out its history like a group of Steampunk adventurers traveling the Aether to deal with early science and have grand adventures of exploration.  They wear elaborate stage costumes and have assumed characters such as Captain Roberts, shown at right, the lead singer and 'Captain' of the crew or Dan Cederman, right bottom, the scientist of the crew and guitarist.

It is worth noting that these later albums by Abney Park feature a different line-up and a shift towards Steampunk from the band's origin as a Gothic Rock band.  I was just recently exposed to the band so I am not sure how there earlier music and story morphed into the Steampunk coolness they are today.

The music of Abney Park might be limited in exposure due to its strong association with a small and distinct subculture, but it has all the right elements to appeal to a larger audience.  It has a Rock and Electronic mix that has worked for much more popular bands like Linkin Park or Stabbing Westward.  Many of the lyrics deal with lost love and dark feelings which could strike a cord with the angst audience.  Its focus of mixing traditional Sea Shanties and instruments with modern music puts me in mind of the Celtic Punk/Rock scene with bands that I love like Dropkick Murphys.  I can imagine that the crowd that would turn out for an Abney Park concert would deck themselves out in Steampunk gear making it a mix of Science Fiction convention and a gang of Juggalos in full costume.  I find that I really like the music and style of the band even more than the costumes and story they present.  This isn't just a gimmick band designed to appeal to a small click of people.  It is a talented band fusing traditional music with modern ideas and twisted sci-fi themes.

Abney Park Poster

Also, they are playing Spokane at the Knitting Factory in April for those interested.  I personally fell in love with Abney Park's music and it reminds me of my high school days jamming out to Stabbing Westward.  I would recommend this band to Steampunk aficionados and fans of Linkin Park or Stabbing Westward.