Search - Helvetia :: Headless Machine Of The Heart

Helvetia is back with this offering, an ode to the lo-fi world of cassette 4-track recording and a testament to this projects prolific nature. These 10 songs were realized after the completion of their sophomore album, The Acrobats, which was released last March to favorable critical reviews. Because of the bands D.I.Y ethics and lack of any real funding, they have decided to release these songs as-is to preserve the excitement of these sessions and to avoid stagnation. Headless Machine is almost an anthisesis to The Acrobats, showing a different side of the band, in a state of transition. Helvetia founder Jason Albertini recorded these songs at home in Seattle, Wa, following a month long tour with a newly reformed Meat Puppets and Built To Spill. The music plays out like a series of snapshots, subtle and hazy, dreamlike in it s consistency. It s a cut and paste style of arranging, much like the making of a mix tape, but lending to a time before computers took over. Ideas and musical concepts come and go, haunting, but never imposing. Guitars weave around drums with simple execution. It s spaced out soul and pop with a sinister edge. Vocals lament and stretch out to be heard, attempting to define the sound. Albertini was a long time member Duster and also played in Mike Johnson and the Evil Doers (ex-Dinosaur Jr.). He has also contributed to such acts as Queens of the Stone Age, Xiu Xiu and Breasts