LA’s Sci-Fi Romance describe themselves as an alt-folk band and have a new album, The Ghost of John Henry due out on May 8th.
Their music has attracted the moniker ‘steam folk’ and they have been compared with the Decemberists and Nick Cave, but there are nods to punk and even metal in the mix too. Enough then to make us want to give the record a listen. It is a concept album that uses the familiar legend of John Henry – the railroad hammer-man who raced against a steam drill and won, though the effort cost him his life – as a starting point to create a complete emotional journey about a man, rather than a legend. The Ghost of John Henry is a story about love, loss, pride, and man’s place in a world driven by technology.
The first release from the album is the outstanding Broken World. You can watch the video and download it for free via their Bandcamp link below. As a bonus we also have the altogether heavier, but equally good, Steam Drill Blues, which sounds like Marilyn Manson jamming with Seasick Steve and the stoned ghost of Marc Bolan. Finally, you can also pick up previous single, a gravelly cover of House of the Rising Sun for free from Bandcamp here as well.
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Download Sci-Fi Romance – Steam Drill Blues mp3 (from The Ghost of John Henry)
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