So here we are just a few days before Abney Park releases “The End Of Days,” and I am finally penning a review of “Æther Shanties"! Forgive me. They developed the new one pretty fast, and I have a tendency to want to live with an album for awhile before I do a review.
Abney Park did a wonderful job with Æther Shanties. There is a natural narrative quality to almost every song on the album. Then, interspersed with the (aero)-nautical sound and the piratical story pieces there is a main theme that runs through Æther Shanties: the conflict between society’s pressure to neatly classify and package our lives and careers, and the desire to cut loose and find our own way doing the things that make us happy and give us meaning to ourselves. When Robert sings “I built my own machine/yes we’re building steam/I hate the same routine,” you believe it.
This theme is stated in many clever ways. “Until the Day You Die” is a confrontational piece set to a 1940s bounce-beat set off by newcomer Jody Ellen’s considerable vocal chops and Dan Cederman’s punchy bass. “Throw Them Overboard” contains the lines “to survive this cult’ral urology/you have to study alcohology.” Truer words were never sung. And the “whoop whoop whoop” vocals add a sonic exclamation point as well as considerable humor. In “The Clockyard,” this theme hits its high point, telling the story of a man in a race against time, trying to “build himself up from the pieces he found,” in order to finally “leave.” Too late he realizes, he will never reach the ideal state, and so he must leave as he is, and go where he wants to go. This is a powerful sentiment and a story well told.
“Victoria” is a stand-alone piece here. It’s a sad story of a father’s search for forgiveness after letting his daughter go to relatives who promised to give her a better life, but abused and finally killed her. It’s based on the true story of the murder of 8-year-old Victoria Climbie in England in February of 2000. I’ve heard this one live, and it is a show-stopper. Kristina’s keyboard work on this piece is extraordinary, and Nathaniel’s violin is tender here, providing a deeply emotional backdrop to Robert’s empassioned vocal. This is one song, though, where the lack of a live drummer keeping the backbeat is keenly felt. The rhythm track is too steady and stiff, and one wishes for more “human” tempo in this piece, and a lighter touch than the machinery can provide.
Now, don’t get me wrong…I’ve told you about the serious messages in Æther Shanties, but there are plenty of pure adventure pieces to this CD, for those craving the airship pirate story. “Under the Radar” is a straightforward battle song, recounting stealth and a headlong charge, and features masterful mandolin work from Nathaniel Johnstone’s nimble fingers. “Wanderlust” speaks to the joy of just picking up and going somewhere. “The Derelict” is a fine version of Robert Louis Stevenson’s “Yo Ho Ho and a Bottle of Rum” song. And the title track of the album ties all of the story themes together with the idea and the feeling of not knowing precisely where all this is headed, and the danger of crashing or blowing up, punctuated by a very nautical squeeze-box motif. It’s a delight. This is a rollicking album, and the order placement of the pieces keeps your interest throughout.
I give this album five stars out of five. Highly recommended, not only for the messages, but also for the killer musicianship and the courageous exuberance of Abney Park’s performance.
"Mac McGowan is an entrepreneur and jack-of-many-trades. He is a father of two beautiful girls, Melissa and Julie, ages 21 and 13. He has had several careers, including 15 years in commercial radio as a disc jockey and news director, 12 years in corporate communications and a lifetime in music and theatre.
Mac is currently master and commander of www.steambaby.net and makes goggles and leather accessories in steampunk style."
