Chris Helme, Formerly of The Seahorses And The Yards, To Release New Album
Chris Helme, who first rose to prominence as the front man of John Squire’s post-Stone Roses band ‘The Seahorses’ will release his brand new solo album on August 27. Helme is still rightfully remembered for the anthemic Britpop classics Love Is The Law and Blinded By The Sun - songs that evoked everything about the 90s: the excitement, the culture and the bands that provided a voice in a period of political and social imbalance.
Helme’s is an enviable back catalogue, bolstered further by his acclaimed work with The Yards; and The Rookery’s knack for melody and imaginative, intricate, three-way guitar interplay now brings his music to new and lush, blossoming climaxes.
Recorded in just 9 days at The Rookery, a country hideaway nestled in the wilds of the Yorkshire Dales, the album reveals a beguiling vulnerability in both Helme’s voice and lyrics. The wonderfully restrained Darkest Days’ somber refrain, ‘Following you leads me astray’, rings out with the sentiment of changing direction, as Helme puts paid to past misdemeanors; on the forthcoming single Long Way Round, Helme is found resolute in his plaintive cry, ‘Now you’ve found yourself, you’re on your own’. An apt lyric indeed as his solo path turns this dramatic corner.
There is plenty on offer here as Helme and producer Sam Forrest (Nine Black Alps) showcase their depth of sonic understanding: fuzzed out guitars are married with distorted Mellotron, melting strings, whistling feedback and haunting orchestral vocals. Melodies rooted in traditional folk structures are vividly reimagined on an album of startlingly rich variation. Even the Rolling Stones’ stomp of Daddy’s Farm bookended between the blues filth of Pleased and the gorgeously mellow Summer Girl, doesn’t stick out, testament to Helme’s most powerful weapon – his voice.
This aspect to his music was never in question. From the earliest days of his career, his voice always commanded attention, and The Rookery’s variationis seemingly bound by this one continuous thread. File next to CSN&Y, Led Zeppelin 3, Buckley, The Coral, and enjoy.
Album release: Chris Helme, The Rookery
Release date: August 27 2012
Label: Num Num Music
Listen: http://www.chrishelme.co.uk/
Electro-Harmonix Unveils The New Super Pulsar Stereo Tap Tremolo
Wampler Pedals Announce the Clarksdale Delta Overdrive
Taurus Amp Releases New Model of Guitar Amplifier Stomp-Head 2.Classic
PRS Adds Three All-Mahogany “S2 Standard” Models to Line Up
TC Electronic announces Flashback Triple Delay
Maxon Releases OD808X Overdrive Extreme
Hurley And Fender Present “STRAT: 60 Years Of The Stratocaster”
Jimmy Page Talks About His New Self-titled Photographic Autobiography
Tom James - Blood To Gold
Follow Us
In The Magazine
The Who Hits 50: But Where Do They Go From Here?
Hampered by ill health, but never ones to retire shyly, The Who continue celebrating their 50th anniversary as they contemplate retirement.
Don’t Call It A Comeback: Muse, Blur & Faith No More
Guitar Planet grades the creative comebacks from three iconic artists who are attempting to give 2015 a much-needed injection of impetus.
Album Round-up: Blackberry Smoke, Papa Roach & Venom
Guitar Planet takes on new albums by southern stars Blackberry Smoke, nu-metal icons Papa Roach and the legendary Venom.
5 Things We Learned From The Grammys
The music industry’s glamorous state of the union address was delivered this weekend, but what did the Grammys have to say about guitar music?
Enter Shikari – The Mindsweep
Enter Shikari renew their archly political assault while expanding their sonic horizons on The Mindsweep.
