Inexplicably, I traversed the 90s without hearing a single note from Helium. I know for a fact I would've been a fan, but I never even knew they existed, despite liking lots of bands that occupied their musical neighbourhood.
My introduction came by way of a streaming radio app I downloaded to my Wii in 2007. I was listening to it one afternoon when 'Medusa' came on. I didn't recognise the song or the artist, but I liked what I heard. I later bought 'The Dirt of Luck' which I thought was OK. I played it a few of times then didn't listen to it again for a couple of years.
One of the things I love most about music is how you might listen to something at a certain point in your life and it fails to make much of an impression. Then later, it resonates more with both who and where you are and it feels like discovering something new all over again. 'The Dirt of Luck' had that effect on me. The second time around, it was just what I was looking for.
It was around 2011, I'd just discovered Mary Timony's solo works, which renewed my interest in Helium, and that was when I learned of 'Magic City', their second and last album. What struck me most about 'Magic City' was its depth and versatility. I consider Timony to be a phenomenal songwriter and guitarist but unfortunately, she is criminally underrated. I'm also certain that were she a he, this wouldn't be the case, but I digress.
Magic City, as its name would suggest is a truly spellbinding record, and this is in no small part due to Timony's unique songwriting prowess. Listening to her music, I feel like I'm wandering deeper and deeper into a forest, following some kind of ephemeral phantom; becoming lost and never wanting to be found. This is why I eagerly consumed the band's entire catalogue (including Timony's fantastic solo albums), but for me, it is Magic City that stands as being the most complete and fully realised work to bear Timony's name.
2011 was a turbulent year for me in many ways, but this was one of the best things about it, proving once again just how important music can be.
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