We are excited to have the honor to be able to pre-release stream the new album by Sci-Fi Romance 'The Ghost of John Henry' for your listening pleasure. While you're listening read a review below by guest blogger Matthew Warburton of the blog Screaming at the Wall
The Album release date is May 8th with a CD Release Party May 11th. Pre-order link on iTunes Physical CD pre-order from the band
The Ghost Of John Henry: A Fitting Folklore Tribute
By Matthew Warburton of the blog Screaming at the Wall
Creating a concept album is a very meticulous process that
requires a great deal of creative ability. If I could think of one way to
describe "The Ghost Of John Henry," it would be complete. Vance
Kotrla of Sci-Fi Romance has pursued an ambitious undertaking and has come out
the other side with a unexpected but refreshing reunion with a legendary steel
driver. John Henry's battle to prove mankind's superiority to technological
advancement is motivated by very complex reasons and feelings, a point this album
translates very well for the listener.
His pride in humanity drives his unyielding determination to
prove the worth and strength of a
beating heart. He has compassion for those he works alongside, as the job is
difficult and dangerous, but without it they would not be able to earn enough
for the ones that matter most to them. Above all of this, he has a love for
those waiting for him back home, and he wants more than anything else to return
with his head held high. He knows that the fate of everything he holds dear
hinges upon the rise of the technology out to rob him of a future, and you can
feel the heat of his rage. For those of you familiar with this iconic figure,
his showdown, and his fate, you will find yourself more than pleased with
Sci-Fi Romance's interpretation.
You can really feel the passion behind the sounds, the
lyrics speak from the echoes of a desperate man fighting against the rise of
the modern world. In addition to to the impressive guitar and vocal work coming
from Kotrla, this Los Angeles indie-folk band also has Kurt Bloom on drums and
Jody Stark on cello, both of whom do an excellent job of complimenting the
overall sound that this album was after. Kurt Bloom's style really adds a whole
new level of intensity at specific intervals throughout, the ebb and flow of
his parts are timed and placed perfectly. Jody Stark's cello pairs extremely
well with Vance's guitar and vocals, giving each track that perfect feeling of
foreboding sorrow that's so desperately needed to really resonate with the
figure that is John Henry. I was immensely impressed with the musical ability
of these three, and day by day I am becoming more enthralled with the appeal of
it's sound and the clarity of it's message.
By the album's conclusion, there's a bitter-sweet sense of a
story that has reached it's end, like a short-lived reunion with someone you
hadn't realized you missed. In addition to the cathartic nature of the work as
a whole, each track is an individual accomplishment worthy of praise. If you
have any sort of ear for indie-folk and you're looking for something that
stands out, Sci-Fi Romance's "The Ghost of John Henry" will not
disappoint. Sci-Fi Romance is the literary man's indie-folk.
___________________________________Previously on this Blog: Here and Here
