Where the Blue Sky Kisses the Green Pastures You'll Find A Helenekhoffman Mixdown! Aug 19 '04 (Updated Mar 12 '05)    Write an essay on this topic. Tweet Popular Products in Music The Dirtchamber Sessions, Vol. 1 by The Prodigy From $11 Jersey Boys [Original Broadway Cast Recording] by Original Broadway Cast From $8 The Bottom Line Helene mixed it; Eric enjoyed it; Eric will review it. One of the most underrated music writers on Epinions.com is helenekhoffman. Period. Even when the genre of music (or, shall I say, genre of rock) is not something I might go for, she always finds a way to intrigue me. So, I knew right off the bat I needed to hear some of the stuff that she's always ranting and raving about. That led to me stalking Helene for months - hopping out of bushes, writing messages on her car in paint - to get to trade mixes with her. And while I have no idea what she'll say about the scattered mess I sent her, I know that I have thoroughly enjoyed my experience with what she has entitled Helene's Musical Universe!. As it will always work, some stuff I liked, some stuff I didn't. Some stuff I appreciated but couldn't really get into, some stuff I was pretty blown back by (in a good way). The beauty of these things isn't in what you think is great or not so great, but in enjoying the chance to listen to what someone you respect so greatly has pumping through their speakers in their lil' world. Simply: it was fun! - - - 1. Party at Ground Zero (by Fishbone) Alright...interesting opening. If you like ultra-happy ska music, you may like this one. But it's a little to scattered, splattered, and happy happy joy joy for me. It's fast, happily furious, and fun; but not really my flavor. A sugar rush that doesn't last. 2/5 2. Tossin' and Turnin' (Cigar Store Indians) So, Helene calls this a mix of swing, rockability, and jazz. I hear it and I think, Sinatra cuttin' loose a bit. It's definitely a mover with subtle and smooth brass highlighting some very slick guitar playing by Helene's friend, Jim. While, honestly, this ain't my bag as far as a regular music listening session, I'd love to hear this live, out at a bar in some remote area. It would've been great at Ocracoke! 3/5 3. Magueeta (My Morning Jacket) "Dreamy country rock". That's what Helene referred to this song as. Not only does saying that have the cool effect of making your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth, as if there were sticky syrup on your tongue, but it's definitely a picture perfect description. While the bass is quite heavy and the drums clatter with a calculated recklessness, the guitars sort of abstractly roam around in long, drawn out notes, creating an aura that has you floating out of your seat. This allows lead-man Jim James to come in and sing powerfully when he wants; or perform sweet, druggie lullaby harmonies when he wants. It's very surreal in some spots. A total summer evening, beer drinking, atmosphere setter. 5/5 4. Call Me (Throwing Muses) Oh my Lord is this a hyena on cocaine singing here? I kid, but seriously, I cannot tolerate the voice of lead singer, Kristen Hersh. And I'm digging the very dreary, borderline haunted house feel of the music here. It's very quiet but the guitars sound like they'll reach out and choke a fool. The slow-down at the end is very serene; very refreshing. But, really, I cannot listen to this woman's voice for too long without wanting to hurt someone. Helene did warn me that she was throwing me a curveball; that Kristen's voice can be a turn-off. She was right. 2/5 5. Elephant Woman (Blonde Redhead) OK, so I heard this, and was like, "what the hell?" This chick, Kazu Makino, was seriously turning me off with her vocals. Then...CLICK! I thought the music was cool off the bat but once I could get fully _into_ the song - it's motion ranging from distress to joyful, self-indulgent hurt - I could feel it. There is just so much going on here, between steady (though emergent) guitars, all sorts of stressful strings flurrying around Makino's vocals, I don't know. It's like anything else that's busy but is done by people who _know_ what they're doing - once you get the pattern down, it's pretty majestic. I still say Makino's vocals are a little too over-the-top, but that doesn't keep this from being a quality song from a group I already had some interest in. 4/5 6. New New Waltzing Blues (The Blacks) This one is just sort of bland. A bit of slow guitar distortion goes along with the waltzy beat, and everything is so consistent but uninspiring. Our passionate lead vocalist, Danny Black, gets a point for keeping me awake, especially on the chorus where he's screaming in your ear "get awaaaaayyyyyy ahh!", which for one reason or another, I just dig. Another point goes to the kick a-- bass solo. That's upright bowed bass. Overall, the song's not bad, but nothing I'm going to come back to very often. 3/5 7. Hope is a Thing with Feathers (Trailer Bride) Alright, so, there is this instrument called the "saw" and it makes a really weird, fluctuating, and pretty annoying whistling sound. Now, the song is sort of boring in the first place. Helene classifies it as alt-country, and I can definitely see that, with the downhome, slightly melancholy guitar playing driving the whole tune. Though it's got that country vibe, it's just slow, but not too slow - making it one of those mid-tempo joints that I have a hard time getting into. The singing is rather negligible. So, how does the saw fit in? Does it make it better, or does it keep me awake when all I want to do is sleep? That's something I can't figure out. Just like when I'm trying to relax and and consciously force myself to sleep 'cause I know I have to wake up early, why do I become more conscious of my heart beating faster? Questions...with no answers. 2/5 (one point for confusing me and making me think) 8. Let's Have a Party (Wanda Jackson) Whoa, where'd this come from? Helene says it's, "50's Rockability at its most raucous." With screaming 'n glistening guitar playing, instense up-beat groove driven a bit by the piano and funk bass, and vintage old (old, old) school rock, with a bit of jazz influence, this is the fun times done right. And damn, does Wanda have attitude to spare! I agree..."let's have a party....WHOOOOOO!" Granted, I couldn't listen to a whole album of songs like this, but for one song on a mix, this is damn fun. 4/5 9. Lost in the Supermarket (The Clash) "I wasn't born so much as I fell out. Nobody seemed to notice me." GAWD, I couldn't count how many times I felt that way. Initially, with how lightly the guitars strum-- how inviting this song is-- that I got caught up in the "punk" label and immediately said to myself, "this isn't what 'punk' sounds like!" It's supposed to be hyper and wild and screaming!" I got over that, though. This one is all about being trapped in a homogenized society that treats you just as "another." I love it. I really, really do! 5/5 10. Ask (The Smiths) **Begin Bold "You are the Quarry" Statement** Contrary to popular belief, I don't dislike this album! It's alright. I used to like the instrumentation a lot but it's started to feel a bit more, I don't know, plastic? I like Morrissey, the man, though. What a cool guy. And he's right: America is not the damn world! **End Bold "You are the Quarry" Statement** But after hearing "Ask" from The Smiths, I am, maybe not convinced, but a believer that Morrissey's best days are behind him. Maybe it's just his youthfulness here along with a far better band behind him. Maybe it's because hearing his new stuff is too much like listening to your father sing protest songs. I don't know. But as the guitars glimmer and shake hopefully around Morrissey's upbeat and optimistic vocals, I just can't help but to smile big, and love it. if there's something you'd like to try ask me i won't say no how could i? 5/5 11. Strange Town (The Jam) So, Helene tells me that The Jam are a "mod" band. I still do not get it but, it sounds very hip. But there is a problem... This song is just not my bag. It's very dancey, attitudey, and sort of nerdy. And nerdy is not necessarily bad, but attitudinal dance jams are usually not for me. So, I can't do this one. "Mod" is not for Eric. 1/5 12. I'm Free (Morphine) Alright, I'm for anything that has to do with drugs. I actually don't do drugs; I get my fix through music. And the morphine can keep pumpin' with this one - it's very relaxing, seemingly easing any pain you might have. I can't lie, this one was definitely in a bit of danger of boring me, but it didn't so, whatever. A band without guitars, and a bass sound that's actually a two string slide bass? I sure am glad Helene knows all this stuff about instruments and was kind enough to convey it to me. I would've been clueless. Anyhow, this one is very smooth, dominated by very relaxed and free-flying sax, with graceful, Morrissey-like singing by lead man Mark Sandman. But it's not soul-less smooth; just a simple reminder that some times the soul needs to relax and let go. 4/5 13. Common People (Pulp) Cheesy keyboards and overall cheap-sounding production make this song sound like everything I hate about music from the 80s. The lyrics are cute, talking about sleeping with common people, and drinking and screwing 'cause there's nothing else to do. I mean, hey, how can I argue with that? But, this song is barely listenable because of my tastes. 1/5 14. Mayor of Simpleton (XTC) This is a fun little pop song that centers around (not) getting an education, but not needing it to know that lead singer Andy Partridge loves...YOU! It's one of the least complicated songs on the mix but sometimes you don't need complexity to make top-notch material. Once in a while ya just need to let the guitars strum majors, let the drums tap around, and let the bass flow beneath it all. I'm not sure I'm ready to crown this a glorious achievement, but its up-beat, carefree approach is simply refreshing. 4/5 15. Summerland (King's X) Christian prog/pop metal, eh Helene? Really, what does it for me on this song is lead singer Doug Pinnick. Defying all odds and stereotypes, Mr. Pinnick is a black, soulful mofo heading a, well, Christian prog/pop metal band. The guitars quickly creep around the spare bass and drums, casting a dark shadow around Pinnick's vocals, and the harmonies of "summerlaaaaaaaand" are simply sublime. Then, when Pinnick goes into super soul mode toward the end and starts belting out, "the wind is getting cold! you're finally getting old!", it really hits the spot. Though, possibly the metal feel here doesn't work for my tastes quite so well, I must give this a full score out of appreciation for its excellence. 5/5 16. Heal (Catherine Wheel) Bland 90's rock. Sounds like something I'd hear on popular rock radio stations and turn off. Helene noted that she loves the group's, "big, grand, melodramatic sound", and I'm glad she enjoys it. While I find it to be consistently "big" sounding, it's just incredibly dull and overly-formatted throughout. Singer Rob Dickenson is the only thing that is melodramatic and that's in a very bad way. Then again, I bet more people than not would like this song. Just like I couldn't stand Modest Mouse but everyone praises them now, to no end. Sorry Helene, there is just no way I can do this one. 1/5 17. So Far Away (The Mosquitos) Love is complicated but, to be in that moment with one you truly love and care for is rather simple. And so is this song. It's a very straight-forward pop-rock tune, that features a male/female duet that's wide-eyed and heartfelt on the topic of the L-word and being so far from the one you love. With one this simple, there isn't a whole lot to say, besides that it's precious and sweet. looking up to the sky baby it's like looking in your eyes like the sun in June i'm hoping to see you soon 5/5 18. Hazey Jane (Nick Drake) Beautiful folk music _almost_ just how I like it. Drakes vocals are simply delicate and delicious; the guitars are like plucking heart strings. The drum patting is light and fitting. The problem? The strings! It's like there's a full orchestra here and that just doesn't fit. It's just too much; overproduced a bit. It takes away from the warm and personal feeling this song could have and makes it much more "public" feeling. That may be a lil' picky on my behalf but I'm sticking to that. Nevertheless, it's a great, sort of introspective, mood to end the mix on. It's like my hug goodbye. 4/5 - - - I'd just like to take this time to give a huge "thanks" to Helene. I had a great time on my end and I hope you had fun, too. Let's do this again some time, shall we? Helene's review of the mixtape I sent her is right here. * * * * * * * * * * For more information about Cryptic Cradle and his reviews, please click here. * * * * * * * * * * Written by Cryptic Cradle for Spike-A-Delic Productions.

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