AWmusic

I have to admit something here, I had heard of Helicopters back in 2007 when a friend of mine from Chicago sent me a bunch of mp3’s. I listened to them but never really thought too much about them, I probably only listened a few times, and then I dropped my laptop and pooched the hard drive losing all my mp3’s in the process. So when I saw that they had dropped a new CD last year and that iTunes finally got around to releasing it digitally this past April I thought I would give them another listen.

In reading up about this Chicago-based band, the most common description I found in all the reviews was that Helicopters were similar to Death Cab For Cutie and Postal Service. Well, considering Postal Service is almost synonymous for Death Cab, to me it’s kind of redundant to say they sound like both. However, that is just nit-picking on my part and neither here nor there. The point is that Helicopters don’t just sound like Death Cab, they are Death Cab. They sound almost exactly alike. Now I have to admit that I have a problem with bands that try to or do end up sounding like another band but somehow, with Helicopters, I didn’t mind. Dave Moran, the singer for Helicopters, sounds so much like Ben Gibbard at times that you would think it is him and they are just pulling your leg. These Death Cab-like vocals are layered over Flaming Lips/Postal Service-style textures and morphed synth sounds. Musique concrete sensibilities blended with electro/pop post new-wave jazz and world beats give Helicopters originality without sounding too far “out there” to be inaccessible to the listener.

The opening tune, Emergency, sets the tone for much of the album. It is a strong song, a bit simpler than some of the following tunes, not quite as densely textured or layered and the vocals are up front showing off a nice melody and hooky chorus. Guitars give a nice foundation for the song to build on but I really do hate drum machines, I don’t like the metallic/robotic beat they produce. I kept thinking how much better this would sound with the thumping of a kick in there, something to stir up the solar plexus. I find songs with drum machines often lack grounding and have a tendency to float. Thankfully, producer and multi-instrumentalist, Brian Fifield, manages to stop that from happening by using loops and all the synth tricks in the book but mostly it’s by the smart use of Moran’s vocals. Even when they are lightly playing in and out of the track they manage to convey a certain weight and grab your attention.

This smart use of Moran’s voice is really evident on Getting Out Of Town where an interesting digeridoo sound is coupled with guitar and Moran’s clear tenor. For me, however I think I would have enjoyed this more if they lost the drum machine and gave the rhythm section a heavier, more tribal percussive sound. Once the guitars really kicked in about a third of the way in, I found that the “drum” beat tended to sound thin and flavourless next to the heavier, ’80s influenced guitar lines. There really wasn’t enough bottom in this song and I really missed that. It’s such a shame because this song is really, really good. I loved the tribal flavour but felt let down that it sounded so lacking in oomph. But I’m sure there will be many who will disagree and I would gladly concede that it could just be my earphones that are the problem.

Still Silhouettes, my personal favourite, has a distinct jazz influence with a funky bass line, Flaming Lips-style synth and an infectious beat that will have you up and dancing in no time. This is certainly the strength of this album, that each song has it’s own distinct rhythm and atmosphere and yet they seamlessly flow into each other with no jarring changes in direction. Scraps of Bread starts off quietly but builds into a soaring synth anthem that will have many lovers singing the chorus when they think no one is around. “Your love sustains me” is sung over heavy guitar riffs and staccato drums. Moran’s vocals get a heavy reverb treatment and fade out as the guitar takes over to end the song. It’s a lovely, romantic tune, which then leads into the Hollies-like fifth song, Headlights. Well, Hollies meets Chad and Jeremy meets Loving Spoonful with a touch of Flock of Seagulls thrown in to mix it up a bit. A throw back to another era but still managing to sound modern and fresh.

The last song, This Is The Bookend, is a soaring anthem that would make a great movie soundtrack. Probably the best song on the album with a dense, textured intro complete with strings and a vocal melody soaring lightly over the heavier instrumentals. All in all this is a very good album despite the lack of a good thumping drum beat. I realize that the drum machine is in keeping with the whole electro/pop style and it can work wonderfully well in some cases, I just found it irritating on some of these songs and very thin and tinny on others. That being said it does work quite well on the Duran Duran-ish White Lily No Soul and Harder Than You Think with its Isaac Hayes hot buttered soul-like intro. I think this album, and it’s drum machine, will grow on me over time as it is quite good.

“Sizing Up The Distance” is the third effort from Helicopters and is out on their record label, Flycasual Records. They have previously released “Walking To Be Looked At” (EP) in 2007 and “How To Fake Falling Asleep” in 2005. You can find “Sizing Up The Distance” in the original and a digital bonus version along with the others on iTunes, Flycasual Records and CD Baby. “Walking To Be Looked At” and “How To Fake Falling Asleep” are also available at other on-line retailers. You can find Helicopters on MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, and their blog.

And now a little something for your listening pleasure, and don’t think it was easy picking these:

Helicopters – Getting Out Of Town
Helicopters – Scraps Of Bread
Helicopters – This Is The Bookend

Tags: album