To the Bottom of the Sea | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 2008 | |||
Genre | Dark cabaret | |||
Length | 50:11 | |||
Label | Mars Needs Music | |||
Producer | Voltaire | |||
Voltaire chronology | ||||
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To the Bottom of the Sea is the sixth studio album by Cuban American dark cabaret singer Voltaire. It was released in 2008, and would be the first album by Voltaire to be released through his then-newly-founded label Mars Needs Music (named after his son, Mars). It is a loose concept album, set in the fictional country of Vorutania. [1]
Polish musician Julia Marcell would provide additional vocals for the duet "This Sea"; Voltaire would also cover a song by her, "Accordion Player", originally present in her 2007 EP Storm .
Voltaire's son Mars is among the ones who provided additional vocals for the track "Stakes and Torches (The Uprising of the Peasants)".
Franz Nicolay of The World/Inferno Friendship Society provided the accordions for the album, in his first collaboration with Voltaire.
A music video was made for the track "Happy Birthday (My Olde Friend)"; it would be Voltaire's first music video ever.
"Coin-Operated Goi" is a cover/parody of The Dresden Dolls' "Coin-Operated Boy", originally written by Amanda Palmer and Brian Viglione.
Voltaire stated that he originally wrote "The Beast of Pirate's Bay" to entertain Mars and his friends during one of Mars' birthday parties, even though the version included in To the Bottom of the Sea was slightly modified; the original, unaltered version of the song would be included on the 2010 compilation Spooky Songs for Creepy Kids .
In his official YouTube channel, Voltaire disserts on the meanings of the album's songs and what inspired him to write them. [2]
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "The Industrial Revolution (And How It Ruined My Life)" | 5:09 |
2. | "Robber Baron" | 3:48 |
3. | "Stakes and Torches (The Uprising of the Peasants)" | 3:47 |
4. | "Happy Birthday (My Olde Friend)" | 2:52 |
5. | "Coin-Operated Goi" (The Dresden Dolls cover/parody) | 3:33 |
6. | "Accordion Player" (Julia Marcell cover) | 3:38 |
7. | "This Sea" (feat. Julia Marcell) | 5:04 |
8. | "The Beast of Pirate's Bay" | 5:02 |
9. | "Tempest" (instrumental) | 3:41 |
10. | "This Ship's Going Down" | 4:47 |
11. | "To the Bottom of the Sea" | 3:50 |
12. | "Death, Death (Devil, Devil, Devil, Devil, Evil, Evil, Evil, Evil Song)" | 5:00 |
"Weird Al" Yankovic is the debut studio album by American parodist Alfred "Weird Al" Yankovic. The album was the first of many produced by former The McCoys guitarist Rick Derringer. Mostly recorded in March 1982, the album was released by Rock 'n Roll Records as an LP and on Compact Cassette in 1983.
Summer in Paradise is the twenty-seventh studio album by American rock band the Beach Boys, released on August 3, 1992, by Brother Records. Produced by Terry Melcher, it is the only album not to feature any new contributions from Brian Wilson, and has been regarded as the band's critical and commercial low point, failing to chart in either the US or UK and receiving almost unanimously negative reviews. In North America, it was the group's first album to only be released on CD and cassette, with a rare vinyl pressing only released in South Korea. The Beach Boys did not record another album of predominately original material until That's Why God Made the Radio in 2012. Summer in Paradise was left out of Capitol's Beach Boys CD reissue campaign of 2000 to 2001, as well as all other reissues for most of the group's discography. Both it and its predecessor, Still Cruisin', are currently out of print. Summer in Paradise, along with Still Cruisin', were pulled from later re-releases due to poor public reception.
Adiemus is a series of new-age music albums by Welsh composer Karl Jenkins. It is also the title of the opening track on the first album of the series, Adiemus: Songs of Sanctuary, recorded in 1994 and released the next year.
Venus and Mars is the fourth studio album by the British–American rock band Wings. Released in May 1975 as the follow-up to Band on the Run, Venus and Mars continued Wings' run of commercial success and provided a springboard for a year-long worldwide tour. The album was Paul McCartney's first post-Beatles album to be released worldwide by Capitol Records rather than Apple.
Brian Viglione is an American drummer best known for his work with The Dresden Dolls and Violent Femmes. He was also a prominent member of New York City's cabaret punk orchestra The World/Inferno Friendship Society.
The Hold Steady is an American rock band originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, now based in Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2003. The band consists of Craig Finn, Tad Kubler (guitar), Galen Polivka (bass), Bobby Drake (drums), Franz Nicolay (keyboards) and Steve Selvidge (guitar). Noted for their "lyrically dense storytelling," and classic rock influences, the band's narrative-based songs frequently address themes such as drug addiction, religion and redemption, and often feature recurring characters based within the city of Minneapolis.
Then and Again is the fourth studio album by Cuban American dark cabaret singer Voltaire, released on October 26, 2004, through Projekt Records. Contrasting with most of Voltaire's albums, on which his songs are mostly humorous and satirical, Then and Again features more serious and introspective songs, dealing about love, heartbreak and the human condition.
Franz Nicolay is an American musician and writer. He is best known for playing the accordion and piano in The World/Inferno Friendship Society and keyboards in The Hold Steady from 2005 to 2010 and again from 2016 onwards. He is also notable for founding Anti-Social Music, a composer/performer collective based in New York City, and for performing in the Balkan jazz quartet Guignol.
Another One Rides the Bus is the debut extended play (EP) by American parodist "Weird Al" Yankovic. It was released in 1981 by Placebo Records. The title song is a parody of English rock band Queen's 1980 single "Another One Bites the Dust". The EP also features three other songs, all of which are original recordings. All four songs on Another One Rides the Bus later appeared on Yankovic's eponymous debut studio album; the three original songs were re-recorded for the album, while the title song is the same version that appears on the EP.
Build & Burn is the second album by American punk rock band The Loved Ones. It was released on February 5, 2008 through Fat Wreck Chords. The album was produced by Pete Steinkopf and Bryan Keinlen from The Bouncing Souls and features cameos from The Hold Steady's Franz Nicolay and Tad Kubler. A music video was released for the song "The Bridge".
Aurelio Voltaire Hernández, professionally known as Aurelio Voltaire or simply Voltaire, is a Cuban-American musician, singer, composer, author, and animator. Known for his gothic style of dress and music, Voltaire is considered a leading figure in the dark cabaret music genre. He has released 13 studio albums, including Riding a Black Unicorn Down the Side of an Erupting Volcano While Drinking from a Chalice Filled with the Laughter of Small Children (2011), BiTrektual (2012), and Raised by Bats (2014). He has also created songs for the Cartoon Network animated series The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy (2001–2007).
Until We're Dead is the debut studio album by ska-punk/anarcho-punk band Star Fucking Hipsters. It was released in 2008 on Fat Wreck Chords.
Julia Marcell is a Polish singer-songwriter and pianist.
"Why Dontcha Call Me No More" is a song by American singer Yahzarah. The song was released in March 2010 as the lead single for her third studio album, The Ballad of Purple St. James.
The Debutante Hour are a trio, based in New York City, consisting of multi-instrumentalists Susan Hwang, Mia Pixley, and Maria Sonevytsky. Typically, Sonevytsky and Hwang trade off accordion and primary vocal duties, and Pixley plays cello, as well as providing additional vocals. Hwang and Sonevytsky also alternate playing "hobo drum kit", consisting of a mini bass drum and firecracker snare, while standing. The group's approach spans a variety of styles, and includes elements of close harmony, vaudeville, cabaret, and Americana.
Riding a Black Unicorn Down the Side of an Erupting Volcano While Drinking from a Chalice Filled with the Laughter of Small Children is the eighth studio album by dark cabaret singer Aurelio Voltaire, released on September 2, 2011. Beginning with this album, Voltaire would start releasing his material under the moniker "Aurelio Voltaire", in order to avoid confusion with other acts also called "Voltaire".
BiTrektual is the ninth studio album by Cuban American dark cabaret singer Aurelio Voltaire, released on September 2, 2012. It is a concept album containing songs parodying the Star Wars and Star Trek franchises – Voltaire is a fan of both. It also contains a Doctor Who-related song, "It's Bigger on the Inside". The album's title is intended to be a pun on the word "bisexual".
"Birthday" is a song recorded by American singer Selena Gomez for her solo debut studio album Stars Dance (2013). It was written and produced by Mike Del Rio, with additional writing by Crista Russo and Jacob Kasher Hindlin. Matt Beckley also provided additional vocal production for the song. Musically, "Birthday" combines deep electronic dance beats and police sirens with elements of trap music. The song's instrumentation is created by blending purring, synthesized bass, snappy beats, handclaps, "oxygen-sucking" sub-bass, and trap snares with sexual moans and elements of hip hop music. Sparse drum beats and vocal chants are woven throughout the song's composition, which has been described by critics as club-ready electropunk, with trap and dubstep elements. The song was originally announced as a single, but was never officially released from the album.
Raised by Bats is the tenth studio album by Cuban American dark cabaret singer Voltaire, released in 2014. The album's production was crowdfunded by Voltaire's fans all over the world via a successful Indiegogo campaign; it would reach US$53,793, surpassing its originally intended goal of US$10,000. The album is a major departure of Voltaire's musical style; instead of his usual dark cabaret style, Raised by Bats is more death rock- and gothic rock-oriented. According to Voltaire in his official website:
In truth, it's a tour of all of the kinds of music I loved growing up. There are songs on this album that are goth rock, death rock, new wave, New Romantic, dark wave and dark folk. It's the album I've always wanted to make. Some of the songs were written as far back as 1984, when I was 17 years old!
Ken Lewis is an American record producer, mixing engineer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist based in New York City. He has been nominated by name for his contributions to 7 Grammy-nominated projects including on Eminem's Recovery, Kanye West's The College Dropout, FUN.'s Some Nights, and others. He has also contributed production, songwriting, engineering, arranging and/or instrumentation and vocals to numerous gold, platinum, and diamond records including Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars' "Uptown Funk", Lil Wayne and Drake's "Believe Me", and Kanye West and Jamie Foxx's "Gold Digger". He is the creator of two web-based instructional platforms: Audio School Online and Music School Online. Lewis is also half the production team, Katalyst, with Brent Kolatalo.