Customer Reviews

Pirate Prude

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This record has got to be their best. It's short but it's got really great songs on it. If you're new to Helium upon first listen you'll most likely think, "hmmm, who are they ripping off" but Helium was THE FIRST band like this. I mean, there were surely some bands along the way like Sonic Youth that influenced them as far as guitar driven noise goes but Helium was the first band to put together a sound like this. Whatever the heck they're sound is ... they own it. My favorite Helium record. You won't be dissapointed.

My best explanation of their sound you ask? Mary timony has a really sullen, beautiful, moderately deep voice with a real dead flat pitch to it much like a girl version of Michael Stipe. Almost like she let's out half voice and half air. Can't explain it any better then that. The music is ... noisy ... wall of sounds but with lots of calmness as well, but most all of their songs are dominated by single stringed melodies and that's the most unique thing about their sound. The one string sounding meldodies as opposed to chords. I'm babbling ... listen to this record.

Oh, and if you're depressed then you'll like the record double and if you're not depressed then good for you.

When I was a teenager this album helped me deal with my very difficult and disturbed life. My sister gave it to me because she said it was too discordant for her.

Now that I'm a little less disturbed, I find I enjoy their late stuff better. This is still a really great album though. Please buy it, and share it with others, especially people younger than you, so that it doesn't get forgotten.

I had never really heard much Helium other than bits of "Pat's Trick" and "Superball" on college radio stations, but this little ep alone is wonderfully strong, consisting of somehow pretty songs that first consist of strange feedback-y sounds or a bass riff coming out of the speakers, then a full assault of eerie distorted "melodies", if you can call them such. And yet Mary Timony's bored, breathy "Yr gonna pay me with yr life" vocals float over the sounds blasting out at you from a bunch of overdriven amps and attacked guitars. I don't know what to say except that this is great stuff to listen to...

A keeper and even better live. The juxtaposition of Mary Timony's beautiful voice accompanied by the wrenching sounds of real life confronts you with emotions when you want to hear more of the voice but can't quiet the sounds around it.

Mary Timony doesn't even have to try to convince you of the band's rare form. They just plug in, pluck away and levitate with a sound that can only be described as their own. Still haven't heard this disc? Go now. You MUST buy this!

This album sets the mood for Helium.
It is a sophisticated version of Veruca Salt. There is even a touch of Bjork on the end of "I'll Get You, I mean It".
In my opinion, Helium could either be considered like none other or a combination of everything. Le Tigre, Letters to Cleo, Veruca Salt,Portishead, etc.