Helene - Heliotrope

  by Mark Rowland

published: 29 / 1 / 2009

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Review

'Heliotrope' sounds just as you expect it to sound the moment you set eyes on its cover. This is not a bad thing necessarily – sometimes you're just not in the mood for surprises. Helene Dineen and her band create dreamy, country inflected indie that smacks faintly of Mazzy Star and Cat Power at its best. It's nothing new, but it is certainly a pleasant listen – a good record to put on while you work. 'O What a Mess', the second track on the album, is the first to really stick out, a fuller version of 'You Are Free' era Cat Power. 'International Klein Blue' floats along sunnily, but the title track is a bit so close to Mazzy Star's Fade Into You that a plagiarism lawsuit isn't too far around the the corner. That track aside, 'Heliotrope 'manages to create a varied palate of moods with a generally limited genre, from the upbeat jangle of 'Stitches' to the simple folk of 'Brandy' and 'Belle Night'.

Track Listing:-

1 Escalator Carry You to the Stars
2 O What a Mess
3 International Klein Blue
4 Heliotrope
5 Stitches
6 Rubber Room
7 Waterlow
8 Come the Dead End
9 Yesterday's Girl
10 Brandy and Belle Night
11 Pills

Label Links:-

http://www.pronoia-records.com/PR/Cont