Customer Reviews

Betty

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

There are two types of Helmet fans. Those who think "Betty" is the best work Helmet ever did, and those who think "Betty" is Helmet selling out and becomming too weak.

I fall into the former category. To me, Helmet was on the verge of greatness for a long time, they had their finger on the trigger for years. This is the album in which they finally pulled that trigger. All other Helmet albums sound like a dirty scramble, a ceaseless search for "it".

Betty is "it". The hardcore fans out there will tell you that Betty is too commercial, too pop, too weak, too radio friendly. Maybe this is true, but it depends on your definition of "too".

Considering that the only Helmet single I have ever heard on the radio or MTV isn't even on this album, I choose to disagree with the "hardcore base". Betty is Helmet at its best, it is when Helmet stops making noise and starts making music. this album was on the tip of their tounge for a long time.

If you can listen to the songs Vaccination and Tic and not like them than you are one of two things: Either you don't like metal music at all, in which case you aren't even reading this; or you are so devout to hating anything that might get radio play that you have blinded yourself. I used to be in both categories at one time, I now know good stuff when I hear it. This is good stuff. One of the best CD's ever produced.

In Helmet's earlier work one may have not recognized by the guitar riffs and relative simplicity that Page Hamilton earned a master's degree in jazz guitar. On Betty this virtuosity shines through with some of the most complex yet simple composition we may have ever heard in the punk/hardcore/metal genre. In fact we may even say that the distinction between the above mentioned genres have lost their relatively clear distinction from the early 80's due to bands like Helmet, Prong, and Fishbone among others. This places Helmet in a niche of music in the 90's that has carved out its own distinctiveness to the degree that other bands such as Korn, Staind, Incubus, Coal Chamber and others can only try to fill with limited interest and more of a fad-driven success. Thus, although Korn gets too much of the credit, they are hardly original.

The new found success of the L.A. metal scene can only find its roots in the breakthroughs of the late eitghties and early nineties post-punk scene of New York city. Helmet is a major player in the establishment of these roots. But what makes them so groundbreaking is the overlay of complex rhythms and complicated chord structures and progressions with the simple crunch of de-tuned riffs that drive the whole project. "Overrated," the opening of "I Know," and the closing of "Milqeutoast" are perfect examples of what I mean here, with the latter almost being reminiscient of something that Allan Holdsworth may have written. The whole thing comes across as very easily accessible to the untrained ear and reveals true brilliance to the musically-trained ear. Few bands can accomplish the difficult task of treading the fine line of complexity and simplicity with originality and accessibility - Helmet perhaps did it better than anyone else.

In Betty Helmet truly lets loose and shows us what they can do musically and creatively with taste and talent and they push their own boundaries with the most fearless and beautiful sludge to mosh by. So the educated listeners of the world who found this album to be as extraordinary as I, ought preach the truth to the misguided Korn fans of the world for Helmet is simply that much better (just listen to the tune of the same name on "Meantime.") It is almost a shame that the last album Helmet gave us ("Aftertaste") deviated from the creative turn of Betty. In fact, it was more of an aftertaste than the real brew - a bit stale and bitter, lacking substance, and over-oaked. However, we ought look forward to Page Hamilton's future solo work (and perhaps an interesting collaboration with NIN's fearless production staff?) Alas, we shall see.

I really appreciate the past few reviews given for this album, these were from individuals who understand musical superiority above the common labels and attachments given by critics who take in music at face value. Page commented that he was putting the lab coat on for this album, and that's where this album becomes so honest. Experimentation in the music industry is the most dangerous thing for any artist to do, but at the same time produces the true desires of that artist; this is where the artist has the most fun and doesn't take the results into consideration. Betty is hands down Helmets worst selling album but easily there best. This is a musicians album... the nay-sayers are obviously not true musicians, they are simply disappointed metal-heads and head bangers. Helmet easily could have stuck with the formula for Meantime in an attempt to become more popular and mainstream but fortunatelly they had the presence of mind to enjoy their proffesion instead of abusing it.

Incubus's "Make Yourself", Metallica's "Load", Deftones "White Pony", Shiner's "The Egg", Pearl Jam's "No Code" and Primus's "Brown Album" all challenge these barriers and show what an artist, like them or not, should attempt at some time in there career... play for yourself and not your fans, at least once. Music is very personal to those producing it and unfortunatelly too many artists get negative labels for showing their true colors.

Betty is a brilliant album and it is my hope that even though the ties between Page, Stanier and Bogdan have broken that all three of them are still extemely proud of the outcome of this album regardless of it's sales. Helmet is probably the heaviest music in my catalog, but I own it because it is true music. I can accept criticism of Size Matters and Aftertaste but there is no basis for any cut on Betty. Brilliant! If you are a drummer you are insane if you don't own this album, and if you criticize it please give me an alternative of what you consider true music and I will try to further my explination based on your suggestion.

I didn't like this album very much when I bought it way back in 1994. I was in high school at the time and was JUST getting into rock music. I primarily listened to R&B and Rap and because of that didn't have such a keen ear when it came to rock. So, what prompted me to purchase this title in the first place? I owned The Crow soundtrack which I believe can stand as probably the best multiband compilation of all time (and ALL the songs were actually IN the movie). On that CD was a track called "Milktoast." That particular song was one of my favorite tracks on the CD and I had to purchase something else by this band I had never heard of called Helmet. Wanting a radio-friendly saccharin infused hard rock album (keeping in mind I was in high school) I found this CD disappointing. Some songs I liked, many I did not. Let's fast forward several years.

I used to be a violin/viola player and was starting my own rock band at my alma mater of Howard University. As the singer I had many ideas for songs and I decided to start playing guitar as a way of conveying my ideas to the band. As my playing skills increased I found myself turning to different directions for my musical inspiration. Now 1999, I shuffling through CD my CD collection and stumbled across something that I couldn't understand why I didn't like before: Betty. Helmet then became one of my all time favorite defunct bands (Nirvana being my other favorite) and I found my guitar playing sound greatly influenced by that of Page Hamilton. Through Helmet I honed my rhythm skills and learned through both Helmet and Nirvana that the most important thing about crafting a song is not necessarily it's complexity but it's actual effect on the listener.

Helmet's sound is deceptively simple, and even their most midtempo songs have very complex rhythm structures. To this day the rhythm patterns in "Vaccination" blow my mind.

Helmet's "in your face" straight forward rock has gone greatly overlooked for many years. In fact most people who are huge fans of the modern metal movement need to listen to this album and "Meantime" and will be surprised to find some riffs and even a few lyrics taken from Helmet. Listen to "Betty" and then "White Pony" and you'll see what I mean. The Deftones even covered "Sinatra" from Helmet's Strap It On album on an Import "Minerva" single.

Don't be fooled, most of the popular hard rock that's out there was influenced by this band whether they admit it or not. Many guitarists however, will readily admit it.

There are two bands I associate with one person. There is Helmet, and there is TOOL, and both were introduced to me by my friend Chris who currently plays in the LA based band My Ruin. Borrowing ''Undertow'' and ''Betty'' won these two bands a brand new fan. So I cannot think of either band without thinking of my friend Chris, and his great taste in music.

I purchased ''Betty'' after borrowing it. I also went out and bought their earlier albums 'Meantime' and 'Strap It On'. 'Strap It On' definitely being the hardcore of the 3, 'Meantime' smoothing it out some, but by 'Betty' and the encouragement to get Page Hamilton to sing, you have a great album. One of my favourites from the 90's, and definitely one of its best.

One thing that always worked against Helmet, was the fact that Page Hamilton was a studied Jazz player always seemed to get in the way of what he was doing in Helmet. I've even done it just there in this review. But I cannot remember a single article about Helmet that did not mention ''Hamilton studied Jazz at.... but plays hard rock .....''. It got in the way of what was going on or what was expected to be heard from a Helmet album. Or that Hamilton was selling you short by not playing Jazz and seemingly giving you ''low entertainment'' music, beneath him, and supposedly crawling on the ground to be listened to by you. And I've always believed ''Beautiful Love'' was Hamilton's reaction to this whole media phenomenon of displaying his credentials. I haven't read that it was, or familiar enough with Hamiltion's reaction to this unneeded press coverage, but ''Beautiful Love'' seemed to be a big f*** you to what kept trailing every Helmet release. And by the way, Hamilton's a great jazz player.

Another huge pull to this album, particularly if you're a drummer, is the work of John Stanier. He does some phenomenal drumming on this album, and from that you'd expect he's doing Gene Krupa rolls, or Danny Carey fills, or Neil Peart syncopated beats. He's not. He's doing something that's as no frills as it can be, but he makes every song absolutely special. ''Rollo'' being a prime example of how good he is as a drummer. Stanier was a huge influence on the way I wrote drum parts for heavier edged music that I write. More than 10 years after Betty, Stanier's style still shows up in my own compositions. He is truly a fantastic drummer, but listen to ''Milquetoast'', ''Street Crab'' or ''Vaccination'' for proof. Whenever listing my favourite drummers, Stanier is always in that Top 10. Underrated. Unsung.

The album itself is practically perfect from beginning to end. Hamilton's singing I associate with that of an Ace Frehley or Jimi Hendrix. No they are not the greatest singers, but they have something that truly brings across they mean what they sing, and the occasionally flat note or rawness only lends to what the song is doing. I cannot think of ''Biscuits For Smut'' with a more refined vocal. And I may sing the chorus of ''Vaccination'' as opposed to screaming or growling it, but I don't think it sounds better or improves it in any way.

Fans of 'Strap It On' may not find the Helmet they were accustomed to on ''Betty''. Though an echo of it remains in the song ''Tic''. This collection of songs is more in line with where Meantime's 'Unsung' was going, but vastly improved and more memorable. Or that may be just me, and how much affection I have for ''Betty''. As said, its practically a perfect album, my only regret is not having the vinyl version with the extra songs on it. But I'll be looking for it for sure, preferring vinyl over CD anyway.

The songs themselves Amazon does not allow enough words for. Opening up with ''Wilma's Rainbow'' is at least 200 words there that could be written. And the album just keeps delivering after this opening statement. ''Clean'' has long been a favourite song from this album, but then I think of ''Street Crab'' and automatically change my mind. It's an album where every song is a favourite, and those albums are pretty rare to find. We sometimes give our ''less favoured'' tracks other hits or an entire miss, and I always believe reappraisal is something that should be applied to any artist or song. But ''Betty'' has no favourite tracks or those I consider 'filler'. Even the ''The Silver Hawaiian'' would have been a great direction for Helmet to have gone in with Bogdan in the band. They could have formed a completely different enterprise doing Hard Hip Hop Rock, calling themselves whatever they felt like, and been equally as successful at it and sounding at home. Bogdan & Stanier were a phenomenal rhythm section, and ''The Silver Hawaiian'' showcases this better than any other song on ''Betty''.

This is an album I can highly, highly recommend. To me it's one of the most important albums of the 90's, from a definitely unsung band.

A departure from the sonic sizzle of Meantime, Betty in its own way freakin rocks! Whereas Meantime was a speeding freight train running off the edge of a very high cliff, Betty is more of a deliberate Sunday bullet train ride smack into a wall at 100mph. Very loud, heavy, and well put together, the songs here have plenty to get your blood boiling. I love Meantime and Betty each in their own way. Not to mention Aftertaste.

Rather than repeat superlatives that others have already said, I want to talk about a few other things. I saw Helmet twice in the 1993/94 timeframe. The first time I saw them was in Boston at the old Venus de Milo. I started up in the front by the stage and later traversed the pit back into the crowd. It was one of the best shows I ever went to and had the sweat to show for it. They were totally on and their sound killed! I plan to see them on tour for their new cd in Nov 2004.

In some reviews for their other CDs people have said they started a trend, often imitated but never duplicated, numerous bands who copied them but were crappy etc etc. Here's a little secret. There was one band who took the Helmet sound (as it seemed to me anyway but who knows) and made it their own and totally rocked. I'm talking of course about Snapcase and "Progression Through Unlearning". Sometime in 1996/97 several years between Helmet releases I heard this cd played in a record store. At first I thought wow its a new Helmet cd and its sound FANTASTIC! Then I found out it was Snapcase and immediately bought the cd. It was f*cking awesome! Helmet started with one sound in Meantime and then went in some other directions with Betty and Aftertaste. Snapcase took the Meantime sound and went into what I think is a pefectly logical continuation of that theme. Try it and see. Their followup "Designs" was pretty hot too.

I have a theory that if it takes many listens to like an album, then chances are you're less likely to get sick of it in the long run and will listen to it more over the years. (I find that easily accessible trendy music while great at first holds less appeal over time and then you forget about it.) If you find it takes several or more listens to this or any other Helmet album and maybe you like it a little more each time, then you are on the right track! I'm still loving them to this day!

I can exactly pinpoint the moment when my tastes in/expecations of music changed forever. At the end of the second verse of the Betty LP's second track ('I Know') the concrete wall of guitars stop in an instant, the drums roll like crazy and Page Hamilton shouts "In your head, where fashion lives"....and then the guitars crash back in. I can't exactly explain why but from that moment forward I've been searching record stores and badly lit nigtclubs for anything that even comes remotetly close to this record. I've yet to succeed. Betty is a truely amazing album and I cannot recommend it enough.

The greatest things comein the most unsuspecting packages, take this album for example. Helmet made something that was new and exciting. They are innovators and originators. Page is awesome, I like his riffs, lyrics, and voice. Witty and far ahead of the competition. This album does not deserve to be labelled "grunge", or "sludge", or "metal". Anyone who still labels band like that (or cares) prolly shouldn't try to listen to this neway. Fans of the Deftones will enjoy as will music fans who are simply tired of listening to the same generic crap whether it be pop or the same punk or metal band as the last one. Quite refreshing, and it'll get her head bobbing with its infectious yet heavy grooves. It's just nice to see that some ppl are still making music because they are passionate about music and not to strike a record deal (even though Helmet ended up being blessed with a quite rightous one at that). Everyone should at least hear this album.

My musical soulmate is a bass guitarist who loves old skool hip-hop, James Brown, and all Ice Cube, but there is one rythym section that he has constantly harped on at me about ever since I introduced him to this album: John Stanier and Henry Bogdan. He's not a fan of their earlier albums but this one totally rocks his boat. And that's one of the reasons it 'failed' to meet the standards set by the previous album - it rocked the boat. But never does it sink! In fact this album crunches just as hard as previous albums, but also swings in places unlike previous albums, and it also reaches a level of subtlety that allows big distortion to wash over the listener without being abrasive ('I Know'). Helmet fashioned an album that stretched their talents and showed that their form of Heavy Rock didn't have to limit them. 'Betty' is a much more enjoyable album to listen to, and allows each song to breathe its own air, rather than the same boring air that can often encompass one album. A great album, and well worth investigating, not only for the brilliant musicianship of all involved, but for great songs as well!

Someone wrote here that this album was dull, but I disagree. You have to understand it in order to get into it. This album concentrates on the building up of the verse more then anything, like R&B or Rap, it's the concept of "building", and thats probably why it appears dull and boring, you have to open your ears and hear what the music is showing you. When I first heard Helmet I felt the same way, but after giving it a few more chances I got hooked, and it's been my favorite band for years.