Purity and focus: Heldon at their best
Micah R. Sisk | Frederick, MD USA | 04/24/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If you've looked at my other reviews of Heldon's CDs, you'll notice that it's too easy to point out the musical references contained in their work. That's certainly the case here, however, it is with Stand By that I realized why Heldon truly stands out as a stalwart of musical experimentalism in the 1970s. Heldon so successfully blends and incorporates the influential, innovative and original music of its time that it single-handedly expresses the musical freedom and boundary-pushing that thrived during this much maligned time. You'll hear elements of "Berlin school" electronics (ala Michael Hoenig and Tangerine Dream), jazz fusion (ala Patrick Moraz during his Yes period), hard rock chord changes straight out of Atomic Rooster and blistering guitar solos that reference everything from Jimi Hendrix to Robert Fripp in his King Crimson days. But you'll also hear something no one else ever gave you; and that is Heldon's own sound. No matter how much, "this part sounds like you-know-who" is going on in your mind, there is also always a part of you saying, "yeah, but it sounds like no one else" at the same time.And so, Stand By (recorded in 1978) has to be hailed as Heldon's signature work. It contains everything that is good about Heldon, all of its musical references and all of its originality. It is Heldon in its mature glory and no other band I can think of so convincingly toed the line between electronic and progressive rock. Progressive rock drums, bass and guitar blend and merge with bass synthesizer pulses and arpeggios; jazz keyboard solos ride overtop jittery electronic sequences; compositions move from dark moody electronic soundscapes to frantic, pulsing rhythms and then transform into improvisational jams or spacey laid-back passages embellished with slithering, smoking guitar solos. If Un Reve Sans Consequence is Heldon at its most experimental and aggressively original, this is Heldon at their most focused and purely stated.Stand By is outstanding document of all that happened in the 1970s. It is compelling and oh, so satisfying. This is Heldon at its very best and you owe it to yourself to hear it."
Five is Not Enough Stars
Chris Fox | Woodinville, WA USA | 04/16/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This album is entirely without peer. "Bolero" is hands-down one of the two or three best pieces of electronic music ever released. Heldon is the most underrated pioneer band of all time; it's a travesty that tinky-tinky noodlers like Kraftwerk are universally known while Heldon languishes in obscurity. "Interface" and "Stand By," the last two releases under the name Heldon (Richard Pinhas' solo releases are only non-Heldon in name) are stunningly, boldly, unapologetically and aggressively *electronic music*; not ordinary music with obtrusively analog waveforms, but genuine explorations of a new and powerful medium. "Stand By" sounds no more dated than Bach. While other synth acts were doing gee-whiz material and even ELP would use sounds that sounded merely weird, Heldon was composing within the new potentials. Play this! Listen! If you're not moved and stunned you should stick to mainstream music, which this emphatically is not."
Track Listings (3) - Disc #1