The Swimmer by Helms

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Progressive Rock | Math Rock

8 tracks | 46 minutes

Released Oct 2003
on Kimchee Records

Click for a 30-second preview. All tracks are 192kbps high fidelity sound quality. Protected WMA $0.77 or unprotected MP3 $0.88.

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sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 05:28 the kindness of automatic doors lyrics BUY MP3 05:28 the kindness of automatic doors lyrics "GIFT MP3" 05:28 the kindness of automatic doors

sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 03:58 we must get there before dark, follow me lyrics BUY MP3 03:58 we must get there before dark, follow me lyrics "GIFT MP3" 03:58 we must get there before dark, follow me

sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 04:07 the smallest world in the world lyrics BUY MP3 04:07 the smallest world in the world lyrics "GIFT MP3" 04:07 the smallest world in the world

sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 06:50 ghosts with searching eyes lyrics BUY MP3 06:50 ghosts with searching eyes lyrics "GIFT MP3" 06:50 ghosts with searching eyes

sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 08:14 the television set lyrics BUY MP3 08:14 the television set lyrics "GIFT MP3" 08:14 the television set

sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 05:04 teenagers in the woods lyrics BUY MP3 05:04 teenagers in the woods lyrics "GIFT MP3" 05:04 teenagers in the woods

sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 04:29 io lyrics BUY MP3 04:29 io lyrics "GIFT MP3" 04:29 io

sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 08:28 candy fish lyrics BUY MP3 08:28 candy fish lyrics "GIFT MP3" 08:28 candy fish

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Basement Life said, "When a band's first full-length is as remarkably original, varied, complex and intelligent as The Swimmer by Helms, it's difficult not to look ahead and try to figure out what the band might be able to pull off on future releases."

Editorial review

You may think Helms is deathly serious when you first hear this album, but upon closer listen, you notice the lyrics are a bit humorous. Vocalist/guitarist Sean McCarthy has a bit of a Brian McMahon/Thurston Moore feel to his voice as he speak/sings about G.I. Joe ("We Must Get There Before Dark, Follow Me"), Pac-Man ("Ghosts with Searching Eyes"), and Three's Company ("The Television Set"). The music itself is full of contemplation and incredibly tight musicianship. "The Kindness of Automatic Doors" slides along at the pace of a snake on a hot desert floor, while "Teenagers in the Woods" builds ever so slightly until it falls into a quiet crevasse. "Ghosts with the Searching Eyes" demonstrates "Sean McCarthy"'s amazing and unorthodox guitar abilities as he plays a riff with his left hand while using his right hand to twiddle the pickup switch of his guitar, giving the music a sparkling effect. Sean's brother Dan manages to keep up with the textured rock & roll by laying down brutally complex shifts in time signature on his drums ("The Television Set"). As for bassist Tina Helms, she is the anchor of the group, never leading the band astray by implementing her solid basslines in order to allow for any sudden free-form outburst from the guitar or drums. Rumbling chords sprawl across this album like thunder in the summer sky, while the drums snap at the listener with the strength of a jagged lightning bolt. This album should be the blueprint of what's expected from any rock & roll power trio. ~ Stephen Howell, All Music Guide

Bio / Background

Helms has its roots in the Massachusetts peninsula of Cape Cod, breeding ground in the early-to-mid '90s for a surprising number of quality "post-rock" musicians who later went on to comprise such other bands as Victory at Sea, Robots, and Lynx. Sean McCarthy's first notable band appearance was in 1994 as guitarist for Milkmoney, seemingly a forerunner to the rock sub-genre of slowcore that gained popularity as the decade progressed. His brother Dan drummed for Dagobah, whose sound was an instrumentally heavy marriage of progressive rock and hardcore. By 1996, Sean founded The Television Set with Tina McCarthy (at the time Tina Helms) making her debut on bass, and this band eventually transformed into Helms when Dan replaced their drummer. There was one name stop along the way as The Swimmer. This moniker was dumped when a major label band released a record under a similar name.