Born Annoying

Helmet | Format: Audio Cassette

Product Details

• Audio Cassette (April 21, 1995)
• Label: Amphetamine Reptile
• ASIN: B0000004HI
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

A bunch of hard-to-find B sides and out-of-print singles are collected here in one nice, little package. This is the Helmet I prefer--the one less interested in hammering the listener with gargantuan riffs than in the squall a guitar is capable of making within the confines of a bludgeoning rock song. The cover of the Melvins' "Oven" (available originally on a Sub Pop Singles Club comp) is certainly a highlight, as are the four songs from their first demo, two of which became the rare "Born Annoying" 7." Kudos to Am Rep for making all this stuff available on one CD, but where the hell's "Impressionable," the best Helmet song ever? --Adem Tepedelen

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A must-own for the Helmet fan, November 22, 2003

By 

rone (San José, CA, US) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Born Annoying (Audio CD)

It's good, solid, rhythmic, precise rock. John Stanier is one of the most underrated drummers out there. "Taken" is probably my favorite track on this collection... "Oven" and "No Nicky No" feel a bit like filler, but it's good filler.

Also, the amazon.com reviewer wants to know where "Impressionable" is (and i agree, best Helmet song ever). I've linked to the album that contains it in my "recommended in addition to" link.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Artwork... The bands BEST!, December 8, 2004

By 

Wolfdog - See all my reviews

This review is from: Born Annoying (Audio CD)

If you have read my other reviews on this band, I said that "Strap it on" was one great Album, but this is the BEST I think.

Many fans of Helmet was introduced to them by their album "Betty" (Just like me). You remember the Harmonics, the pleasure? Well forget it on this album. This Album of B Sides is the true Helmet orgin. The tracks are all Unique compared to their more listened to tracks like Milquetoast, Repetition, Unsung just to name a few. I dont think I have ever heard a song quite like the Album's Title Song "Born Annoying", and only Helmet can make it work. The beginning of "Shirley Mcclaine" blew me away the first time I heard it. I looked down at my radio and said to myself "Holy S#%#!" Even the song /Punk sound "Taken" blew me away. The bands Instrumental's (Rumble and No Nicky No) are good songs if you want to beat the crap out of someone.

The only track I did not like was the Remake of Born Annoying. It went to fast, and the Chorus wasnt as good as the Original one. But thats why there is a skip option on CD Players.

If you want to hear Helmet at their prime, pick up this album if you can find it. There is a reason why the Album Label was called "Noise".

5.0 out of 5 stars This CD is so good, it's sick!, September 28, 2011

By 

E. Oslan "fickifickmaster" (MI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Born Annoying (Audio CD)

So there's the independent label Helmet and the major label one. 'Born Annoying' contains the group's singles, outtakes and other loose ends (but not the song "Impressionable" which was on a comp only, grrr) and is sooo good it just boggles the mind. The production is gritty, the guitars are heavy, the songs alternate between heavy groove and faster, punky songs and there are a couple of covers you might recognize from Killing Joke and the Melvins. Mmmm, let's see. If you are completely unfamiliar with Helmet, that is know nothing about 'Meantime' and 'Betty' and so forth, then this is a terrific place to start since your ears wouldn't have been tainted by the major label stuff (which isn't bad but quite a bit less interesting). That stuff is normal alternative metal. This stuff uses odd tunings reminiscent of Glenn Branca or Sonic Youth yet combines them with heavy, collosal and catchy riffs. I think people overuse terms like "thinking man's metal" but this stuff is heavy, smart and catchy. What else ya need?