Helium inhales new, imaginative sound

Rainbow dragons, outer space, prostitution and having a baby vampire embedded within your body are topics found in the imaginative songs of Helium. These few examples are only a sample of what talented songwriter Mary Timony extracts from the mysterious depths of her complex mind when it comes to composing songs.

Helium will exhibit its fairy-tale-fashioned musical spectacle at the Blind Pig tonight for a rare appearance. Anyone turned on by highly philosophic songs enclosed in fuzzy distorted guitars and lo-fi extraterrestrial keyboards cannot afford to miss this cerebral stimulation.

Courtesy of Matador Helium lifts off tonight at the Blind Pig.

When describing Helium's present tour in a recent interview, poet-priestess Timony said, "Last time we went all around the country. This time we're doing small towns for the most part."

Timony says fans of both Helium's more abrasive guitar-drenched dissonance and its present cosmic rock 'n' roll will enjoy Helium's present tour. She said that "this time we're playing older songs. It's kind of fun to revisit the old ... it's fun to play live now because we have a keyboard player."

"The theme of going into outer space or away from the here and now," is her present concise objective, Timony said. "I'm definitely one of those people that floats through," Timony said. "I don't feel like I have any control over that. We get bored with sounding a certain way so we try to come up with new ideas."

"I have a problem writing songs," Timony said in reference to the aesthetic nature of her art. "I feel lucky if I can be creative because it's hard for me. I pick up a guitar or keyboard and fool around."

"I've got a baby vampire in me ... I saw you put it in me like a seed," and "you've got a skull; baby, you've got a spine. After I'm done with you I'll spit them out like rinds" are examples of Timony's unusual creativity.

PREVIEW
	Helium Blind Pig Tonight at 9:30 p.m.

Aside from those dark lyrics, Helium has become a bit more cheery with Timony's boyfriend, Ash Bowie of the band Polvo, joining the band as bass player and songwriter.

On Helium's most recent album, "The Magic City," there are more comforting mythical lyrics such as "we will ride on a moth's wing up to where there is no sound," and "I was born underground. I have two horns and I'm gonna make love to the unicorn."

Psychedelic storybook lyrics like "when the sun comes up under the ground, love is shining all around. Down by the river the dragons play, digging for the light of day," surrounded by a symmetric song structure of dynamic guitar articulation that contrasts continuities of comfort and chaos, can also be found.

Timony remained reluctant to unveil much of the mystery surrounding Helium, encouraging students to come to the show and form their own conclusions. She chooses to let her art do the majority of the talking.

Don't miss this rare opportunity to see musical performance art on its most cosmic plane tonight at the Blind Pig.

03-20-98