There’s no doubt that John Helix is an artist. His songwriting and delivery reveal this within the first track on his latest album Tune Out, Turn Off, Disconnect. The album will be released to the public on March 4th. Elliot Smith, Iron & Wine, David Bowie, Bon Iver, Bright Eyes, Conor Oberst, Queen, Tom Waits, and Wilco are just a few of the artists that come to mind when listening to his music. His sound is enticing and ominous, beautiful and inscrutable. The listener gets a true glimpse into what Helix is feeling and going through. He effectively draws the listener in as if he’s telling a deep and intimate secret. This is no easy feat.
Helix released Chronic Happiness in 2015. There has been quite a musical evolution since then. Though pain and and discomfort, sorrow and unexpected change can be quite shattering, they do often make for meaningful moments in our lives. This is no different for Helix who tore his ACL fighting in a tournament doing jiu-jitsu. Juno Diaz writes, “the only way out is in”. Sometimes pain makes us face ourselves in a new way and in a necessary way. One can hear this self reflection and introspection, this vast isolation and inner angst in his deep raspy voice, through his melancholy lyrics and harmonies.
Highlights of the album include “Roman Tic”, “I Shouldn’t Have Known”, “Old World Spirits”, “Colombiana”, and “Tell Me Something”. Helix’s songs have a depth and intimate nature that makes the listener feel as though they are being exclusively told his innermost thoughts.
With fourteen songs, it feels a bit lengthy. Perhaps a two part album would have been an effective way to lure the listener in without them feeling overwhelmed. It’s a bit much for an album. However, the songs seamlessly flow in and out of each other making the entire project a beautiful ride, even if it’s a long one. I recommend this as a winter download.
Listen to Helix on Soundcloud, Bandcamp, and ReverbNation. Check out his website for more information. Also you can like his Facebook and Twitter pages. You can also watch videos on his Youtube channel.
