It's sometimes tricky, when describing George Mann's books, to convey the genre in which they sit. One word puts you on the right track, but it's not a word everyone is familiar with. Yet. But a glance at the Guardian today suggests that the ordinary man on the top deck of the Clapham omnibus might soon be tolerably well informed about the term 'steampunk' . The front page of the Guardian's website has a story about the Steampunk phenomenon, which I assume means it's in a position of some prominence within the paper edition. The story explores the musical side of Steampunk, which is an angle I've never really considered. I'm quite familiar with the alternative-world Victoriana that might catch a steampunk's eye in the way of gadgets or outfits, but I've never paused to consider what tunes might reside on their engraved brass iPods. The story mentions Portishead and hints at Eastern European gypsy music (I'm thinking mournful violin laments) which would have been guesses of mine too, and perhaps I'd add The Avalanches for jauntier occasions. Or might steampunks have plundered the future for their melodies using experimental wirelesses combined with circuits from a time machine? Presumably it's a question that many Guardian readers will be mulling today. [image from weburbanist]