heliopause (free album of the week)
I only came across the wonderful Heliopause in the past few weeks due to a rather amusing incident upon Fastfude, the influential local music forum. Apparently a very well respected music review outlet published a glowing review of the band’s performance with Albrecht's Pencil- surprisingly glowing, as both bands pointed out obvious factual inaccuracies and suggested that the reviewer didn’t go to the gig at all. Oh dear. However, any publicity is good publicity and I’m glad I discovered this band.
We’ll have a small interview with Heliopause published within the next few days: the band have very kindly consented to offering their Acoustic in Berlin EP for Secret Fireworks’ free download of the week. It’s a wonderful demonstration of the simple beauty of Richard Davis’ songwriting. Indeed, the partnership with Therese McKenna and Davis is stunning- it’s so rare to hear such a well suited partnership. Damien Rice and Lisa Hannigan nearly perfected it, Torquil Campbell and Chris Seligman from Stars were a good match, but McKenna and Davis intertwine so well that it’s a match made in heaven.
Armed only with acoustic guitars, vocals, xylophones and the occasional flute part, this Heliopause EP features some excellent tracks from the Dark Matter EP as well as some unreleased tracks. “Electronic Experience Gone Wrong” is reinvented acoustically-more focus is paid to the thoughful lyrics and you’ve got those wonderful harmonies and vocals in addition to a multilayered sound that is alluring even to the first time listener. “Lullaby” is simply a stunning track. The harmonies are sweeter than ever as Davis and McKenna croon over their love. It sounds like the perfect song for new mothers and fathers as they watch their children grow up, or the perfect soundtrack to home videos shot by nostalgic parents.Heliopause have a dreamy yet mournful sound at times, constantly reflective and emotionally incisive. We forget to listen to the lyrics sometimes and concentrate too much on melodies or riffs- it takes wonderful songwriting and supreme vocals to remind us that the voice is not just another instrument in the wall of noise that can sometimes constitute local music.
Individual Tracks
Electronic Experiment Gone Wrong
The Tug That Tore My Insides Out
Entire EP
Acoustic in Berlin EP (zip file)
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