Steam Powered Diamonds

  So I thought I would try something different. At least, different for me. Today I'm going to talk about music! Specifically the cover of Rihanna's "Diamonds" by Steam Powered Giraffe.

  At first glance, Steam Powered Giraffe is probably one of the most niche market bands ever conceived. If you are a fan of Steampunk, then you are quintessentially covered for your music when listening to this band. Very much a visual feast as well as an aural one, watching the band preform in their videos alone is a great deal of fun.

  If you are not a fan of Steampunk however, this band is still well worth the listen. With decent songs, that transcend the steampunk theme, my personal favourite is "Automatic Electronic Harmonics." The band really is worth the look regardless of your level of interest in Steampunk.

  The primary members of the band are the three robots, Hatchworth (played by Sam Luke), The Spine (played by David Michael Bennett) and Rabbit (played by Christopher "Bunny" Bennett). The cover of Diamonds which we are focusing on today is sung primarily by The Spine.

  I both love and hate this song. The Spine (David) definitely can sing, and he makes the song incredibly catchy. What I hate about it, is it means I officially am enjoying a Rihanna song! So that's a first. The video adds another layer of what makes the song almost addictive. The way The Spine moves and acts, the special effects and the animatronics all add to what makes this cover a memorable one.

  On the bizarre flip-side of this, the original Rihanna video is surprisingly boring. Her video is filled with peculiar imagery and monochrome blandness which really just isn't memorable. Even her singing is boring when compared to the vocal power The Spine demonstrates in the video. It's peculiar that a man singing as a robot uses a wider vocal range than a popular singer and media sensation.

  This just goes to show that a good band, with talent, can make a generally bad song, enjoyable. Granted there are plenty of people out there that enjoy the Rihanna song, but for those of us who don't I think Steam Powered Giraffe hold the answer. It would be interesting to see if they cover any more songs in the future. I personally would be interested in seeing them cover Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite by the Beatles, not because it's a bad song but because I'm curious to see how The Spine would sing it.

  Regardless I honestly believe that this band deserves more attention and you should go check out their site here. A genuinely interesting band, with a cool sound and some very catchy songs. Now I just have to hope they come to Upstate New York some time soon so I can see them live!