We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

Scratch The Aether

by The Extraordinary Contraptions

/
  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    Purchasable with gift card

      $8.50 USD  or more

     

  • Full Digital Discography

    Get all 5 The Extraordinary Contraptions releases available on Bandcamp and save 20%.

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of En Absynthia, When She Goes Down, The Time Traveler's Constant, Scratch The Aether, and Inappropriate On Purpose. , and , .

    Purchasable with gift card

      $30 USD or more (20% OFF)

     

  • Buy Disc

1.
A Finer Way 04:30
I've been around long enough to know Where there's no hope to warm your soul There's a finer way to be down Philosophy is just one part of Something so much larger than yourself I've been alone long enough to know Where there's no hope to fill your holes There's a finer way to be down Cassiopeia's dreaming Her nightmares keep us all from rest There's a finer way to be down Put yourself in my shoes, baby You'll understand all about regret Go on your way, I don't hear what you say I don't want you here, don't want you to stay There's a finer way to be down Cassiopeia's dreaming Her nightmares keep us all from sleep There's a finer way to be down Put yourself in my shoes, baby You'll understand all about regret All about…
2.
It's synergy, it's synergy you're after You use big words to say small things Remnants of the spark you had still flicker You like to keep us all under your wing I don't want to go into your fade So many people left to spend And if I go awry, I know you'll be standing by To bring me back again And I won't pretend To be your dog, to be your mistress To walk in fabric of pretense And all your dirty deeds they roll off into the breeze Your plans for fame give me vertigo So please won't you just let it go I don't want to go into your fade Such an elaborate way to spill And if I seem contrived, for I've seen straight through the lies My defense the republic of my will Your words build like flame, they build like fire Blind leading fools to eat themselves Faces course with fear, your one desire To harvest the souls and leave the shells I don't want to go into your fade Pulled by the fables that you spin For if you get your way, humanity will pay All our hopes lost for love of sin I don't want to go into your fade Beelzebub has razed my town And to his feeble guise the masses flock like flies They feel the burn as they go down
3.
Downfall 04:21
Dimitri: They came down from the sky Image burned in my eyes When I think of what they did I only want to sin Aelus: I want to take their heads Put them on spikes I know it's bad I can't sleep at night And still I see her face, absconded in flames How can I resist this darkest wish I'm gonna use these hands, secure their demise In m mind there forms a plan They'll pay with their lives Dimitri: Was it something that I did that brought this pain from above? How long must I relive the loss of life Oh, the loss of life, the loss of love All: Hallelujah They all say Didn't want to do it to you They're all insane Dimitri: I think I've shouldered enough Taking blow after blow This bittersweet song How I wish that they could know Aelus: How they burned my heart Bled it till dry Bodies bloated and charred Not one tear left to cry And still I blame myself, thought I've tried to hope Regardless of my health, I've got to hold on At the end of my rope Dimitri: They think they can control - it's all in vain They'll wish it was a wish that they Oh, that they hadn't made All: Hallelujah They all say Didn't want to do it to you They're all insane Hallelujah They all scream Didn't want to do it to you They're all in flames
4.
Waves 03:20
Across a pool, a Straße vor Wie gehts? Nicht so gut, 'til now He picked my purse up from the soil And pursed his lips against my brow One look from you, and I can't breathe Would you please spend your life with me And though I speak not as you pass Tears escape as you look back What's a girl supposed to do I can't help but fall for you Can a girl not have her dreams Would that I were anything that you should need For you I'd let go of everything, just Open up your eyes and see See See
5.
All the angels hover over me Whispering words They set me free The path is clear, the way I see A corridor descending endlessly I'm gone from here I'm sane, I'm rational The walls come crumbling Crashing down I found my place, it's right here Under your thumb Right where I belong Down where we are I'm feeling oh so nice I'm feeling cold as ice Down where we are I'm feeling oh so cold I'm feeling comfortable Down here My dark angel, come down over me Drink in my soul Make my heart bleed What's this feeling; I'm overwhelmed Who draws the line between heaven and hell I'm gone from here Down where we are I'm feeling oh so cold I'm feeling vulnerable Down where we are I'll follow wherever you lead You help my heart to freeze down here Down here
6.
Johnny wanted Mandy, but Mandy wanted Danny But Danny thought he could get Sandy could he only get a shot Sandy was afflicted, so finicky and conflicted Wasn't sure that what she wanted was what she want at all Johnny's telling Danny better stay away from Mandy But Danny he only shrugs because he's so confused Mandy's telling Sandy that Danny isn't the man she needs But secretly she wanted him to love her too, yeah! Sandy sits at home, calls up Johnny on the phone Could he possibly advise her what's the right thing she should do? Johnny's life is such a mess; that Mandy girl has got himself Feeling, oh so feeling, feeling black and blue Danny's calling Johnny just to tell the man he's sorry "Just lately I can't help it, I've been feeling so fucked up" Johnny's seeking some relief, tells Danny about this Mandy thing Danny finally realizes, "Man this really sucks!" New relationship infatuation energy New relationship infatuation energy The's what we have So Sandy finally picks it up that Mandy is all in a rut "Now what, now what, now what, now what, now what's this all about?" "Sandy, I love Danny, I can't help it, I'm so sorry, I know you kinda like him, I'm afraid there is no doubt." Sandy only smiles and says there's no reason to be distressed I kinda like that Johnny boy, you know he's kinda cute Mandy smiles and sighs and screams, she can't believe she's finally free To tell him, "D-D-D-D-Danny, I love you." New relationship infatuation energy New relationship infatuation energy New relationship infatuation energy <br/> New relationship infatuation energy <br/> That's what we have <br/> <br/>
7.
I can see you when I look through my crystal glass With all the mistakes you made in the past It doesn't matter if you resist me, you'll come around eventually It's your destiny All of these frustrations You've been building up I can't believe you were even contemplating simply giving up All I ever wanted to do Was to infect you With bliss With this Dark kiss So you think you've got me pinned Well, just look at the state you're in, you're in, you're in, you're in Each and every time You look in my direction I get overwhelmed by this conflicting damned affection Won't you please just let me try Oh, oh and I Infect you with bliss I can't help Give you this dark kiss If it's all the same to you, I'll give you my heart I'll give you my heart So please don't worry, I'm not going In the tin where I keep my heart The key waits for your hand to start And as the cylinder, it slowly starts to catch I get filled up with this foolish happiness Won't you please just let me try To infect you with bliss
8.
Beautiful 02:24
I guess you know that you're beautiful You kind of remind me of me Oh, oh, oh, oh so beautiful I think you belong with me, yeah Every time that you come around Don't you don't you know you make me feel so good Every little thing, every little thing that you do Every little thing, every little thing that you do Oh no, oh no here I Go I guess you know you're still beautiful (You know that you're still beautiful) Like you haven't aged a year (No, you haven't aged a year) So conceited oh, and oh so beautiful (You know that you're still beautiful) I think you belong to me, yeah Every time that you come around Don't you don't you know you make me feel so good Every little thing, every little thing that you do Every little thing, every little thing that you do Oh no, oh no here I go Oh no, oh no here I go Oh no, oh no here I go Do do do do, do do do, do do do Do do do do, do do do, do do do Do do do do, do do do, do do do
9.
She came in and looked all up and down at me And I thought to myself, hey, this is some beginning But it wasn't long before I could see She thought I was some sort of piece of meat oh for the picking, hey Don't you get it, you're not wanted And I'm so tired of your false pleasantries I'm not hoping for it to work out I'm just waiting for you to leave Eventually She came in and still, and still she looks at me But I've said my piece, yeah, said I'm sitting pretty But still somehow it seemed she just don't see Well, I've said my piece, I guess it bears repeating Don't you get it, you're not wanted And I'm so tired of your false pleasantries I'm not hoping for it to work out I'm just waiting for you to leave Eventually She just don't, she just don't get the clue I guess I guess I, I guess I guess I, have got to get the blues She comes in but she don't even look at me I guess I guess, I guess she must have gotten lucky But I've got something better, oh I think you'll find all the time I've got something even better, I've got my peace of mind Don't you get it, you're not wanted And I'm so tired of your false pleasantries I'm not hoping for it to work out I'm just waiting for you to leave Don't you get it, you're not wanted And I'm so tired of your false pleasantries I'm not hoping for it to work out I'm just waiting for you to leave Eventually
10.
Everything 04:31
If I was the one that I was before Bless those tears you cry for me I don't love you anymore Least the way you love me Why don't you just try to get over it I've got better things to do with my time Then waste it on the likes of you Sitting under a shade tree Won't you serenade me, marinate me with your love I reject you and still you push ever closer to me What's it gonna take for you to see me Why don't you just try to see my point of What's going on Everything I do - Everything - I fold myself inside for you Dress all up in drag for you Just not sure about what to do, do About not loving you No, I just don't love you I'm sure that in time we can work it out Oh I'm sure No, I just don't love you I'm sure that in time I can learn to lie Oh the way you Lie - Everything I do - Everything - I do Is for you
11.
No Waste 03:02
I don't have time to waste So say what you've got to say And you can say it to my face Oh, let's not play these games You say you spend your nights Wrapped up in thoughts so tight About your future bride Hey man, everything's gonna be alright (Yeah, right) You can waste your time worrying (About the things that go bump in the night) You can take that false pride, and shove it (Where the sun don't ever shine) Now you feel philanthropic But only if you profit I don't think you've quite got it To me, you are microscopic You can believe your own lies (That everything you do is right) Oh but then there comes a time When you pay! So take your heads of state Your proposition hate Take off your clothes and wait And I will show you why we were built this way You can bide your time (But I'm surely taking mine) You can wait in line While I taste the fruit
12.
Hey baby, why don't you come over here and give me a little taste Before I go mad and get out in a hurry You know what they say about haste, hey, and I I don't want to waste one minute of, of Of what might be The best time of my life Just one look at you and oh my god I start to turn blue What you waiting for? Hey baby, why don't you come over here and give me a little kiss Such a precious little miss And I don't want to miss one minute, right Can we get together again tonight around the same time Just say yes and that would be sublime You fill me up with lust You fill me with desire Alls I know is there's just no one could ever possibly quench this fire Fire Desire - fire Hey baby, I think it's just about time that we went our separate ways So what do you say, what do you think about it Do you think we could go on around the way And do it one more time, just for old time's sake You fill me up with lust You fill me with desire Alls I know is there's just no one could ever possibly quench this fire Fire Desire - fire Just one more time...
13.
Dancer 03:35
She enters the room like a rolling thunder With a glance, just a glance she rendered us all asunder With a curious way she had us all on our knees And with each passing breath and moan we were all begging please Says she wants to be a dancer, all night long I can't help but answer when she calls I can't help it if I'm in your way, hey man, Hey, but I'm a dancer too Oh, she's had a way, had a way, and we let her Oh, she kicks us, she beats us, oh it can't get much better Somewhere along the way I notice something's amiss She presents her boot and I commence to kiss it Says she wants to be a dancer, all night long I can't help but answer when she calls I can't help it if I'm in your way, hey man, Hey, but I'm a dancer too She's had her way for far too long now She enters the room and I, I start to bow down Can you please explain how things ever got this way I'll do whatever, so ever, so ever, so ever you say Says she wants to be a dancer, all night long I can't help but answer when she calls I can't help it if I'm in your way, hey man, Hey, but I'm a dancer too
14.
Thorngauge 03:11
His face is wet His knees are weak Can't find the strength Get to his feet… He lives in fear For ones he loves Seeps out evil Like it's a drug Professor my love, can't you hear the clock winding And though what you've done has you toss in your sleep I'm here for you now with my love for you blinding Still your heart now my love, I am here when you need He flips a switch He checks a gauge He palms his gun Face full of rage O my love, don't give in to these feelings of despair! Knows what he's done His face is cold He bares his teeth Darkness below O god, my love, shrug off this sickness that you wear! It can't be helped my love, I feel the darkness slowly rising For all the damage done nothing can quell the pain inside me Don't make me watch this pain, blood on your hands What purpose is it now that fuels this dark desire? I will bring them horrors, on the sea, air, and on land Where wicked plagues this world, temper their souls with fire! He sets his brow Tightens his fist Scours the land Thoughts veiled in mist I turn my heart from you, what is this you've become? He flicks his wrist He wills out death Snubs out a life With every breath You quell the light from me, my heartstrings come undone! Home, home, take me home Take me home, won't you take me home, won't you please take me home What have you done? Won't you please take me home
15.
She moves across the floor so sweetly, so eloquently, neatly Slowly to the place where I am standing She takes my hand, pulls me out Washes away any shred of doubt She culls me from all the fools Despite all of my fears And in return I'll give her the gift of all my years I tell her: They don't know you, not the way I do So don't pay attention to the frightful things they say They're only words, and they can only hurt If you let yourself believe in their foolish game She's so innocent, pure and perfect This can't only be love I'd give my life to protect her if only that were enough She can't hide her feelings, I see them all too clearly The subtle differences in the lines upon her face I watch her from a distance, and she knows that she's defenseless As I read the words her trembling lips trace: Don't leave me standing in your shadow For it's far too cold I will give to you a love you've never known Here I'll stay Keep you warm and safe Just give to me your love Your love Oh, love She whispers oh so sweetly, frames her words so neatly And I sit silent still in riveted suspense Every sound that leaves her mouth My heart does its best to leap straight from my chest What is it that I could have done to have Ever warranted this For a love so complete and so full of bliss

about

All album art included with album purchase, plus some bonus pictures!

From the MadeLoud.com interview (at www.madeloud.com/article/extraordinary_contraptions):
Scratch the Aether spans a particularly difficult time for the band. Over the fourteen months in which we recorded it, there were no fewer than six changes of residence for the different band members. Our guitarist broke his arm and struggled to finish school with the broken arm, two mortgages were taken out, countless bouts of heartache were experienced and each of us did a fair share of growing up. There were both tremendous highs and crushing lows. The StA sessions reflect this, some going very smoothly, others being quite a struggle. But in the end, much like the other aspects of our lives from the time spent recording the album, we're quite satisfied and very proud of the result.

The performances on Scratch the Aether are more polished than those on Inappropriate on Purpose, and the mixing/mastering backs away from the 90's sparkle into a more 70's rock balance. Additionally, the songs have become more and more story-driven as we've delved more into our own backstory and the steampunk oeuvre for inspiration. We intend to continue in this direction on both fronts, pushing the envelope of what steampunk music can be and also what it means to put on a rock show.

credits

released March 20, 2010

Alex Stadler as Aelus von Stadberg: guitars, vocals, and mad songwriting skills
David Tyberg as Dmitri von Stadberg: upright and electric bass, vocals, The Funk, and the Bossa Nova
Sharon Burdick as Ms. Sephora Bostwick: keyboards, vocals, and a new dedication to Practice
Kevin Guthrie as Corbin Abel Welch: percussion, good beer, and enough calm for all of us

Recording, mixing, and mastering by Alex Stadler.
Yes, we are a fully DIY outfit, musically speaking!

Cover pictures by Winter Arcane and Bill Ruhsam.
"Open Your Mind" internal cover picture by Mark Helwig (www.MarkHelwigArt.com).
Penny farthing picture by Winter Arcane.
Graphic design, rear cover design, and layout by Dr. Jennifer Bowie.
Graphic editing assistance by William McLeod.

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

The Extraordinary Contraptions Atlanta

Part lover's caress, part pugilist’s fist, songs of THE EXTRAORDINARY CONTRAPTIONS are sonic space-time adventures. This patent-medicine man, time-traveler, gentleman explorer, and madman advance the steampunk rock movement with 2012 album The Time Traveler's Constant, employing danceable prog rock and Victorian aesthetics in genre-bending, aggressive-waltzing stories of steam and strife. ... more

contact / help

Contact The Extraordinary Contraptions

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this album or account

If you like The Extraordinary Contraptions, you may also like: