The End Of A Very Short Era

We've decided to put the lovely Helen Of Troy... to bed. We've had awesome times, met some awesome people and discovered some awesome artists along the way. Thanks for sticking with us, it's been a blast. Laterz.

Album Review: Charlotte Gainsbourg - IRM

Dramatic, cinematic, lush and delicate; Charlotte Gainsbourg's latest album IRM is a bit of a revelation to Helen Of Troy who, rather ashamedly, have come rather late to Ms Gainsbourg's party, having dwelt too long at her father's legendary sleaze-fests. Released in the UK tomorrow (Mon Feb 25) and co-written and recorded with Beck, this 14-track album is a varied but unfalteringly classy affair.

Sparse and bluesy title track IRM is built around the sample of the sound of an MRI (IRM in French) scan, inspired by treatment she received for a cerebral haemorrhage in 2007. The more you listen to IRM the more unsettlingly brilliant the sample becomes and, combined with lyrics about traumas, bandages and x-rays, quickly becomes one of the most menacingly catchy songs about hospitalisation Helen Of Troy... has ever heard (not the most hotly contested title, granted!).

Alongside the hospital-themed high-tech trickery of the title track is a collection of beautiful whispering folk, blues and cabaret which, in this case, is no bad thing.

Sometimes it's obvious who Charlotte and Beck have been listening to - Le Chat du Cafe des Artistes is Serge-esque, evoking the grimy glamour of 1960s Parisian back-streets, Me And Jane Doe sounds like a Moe Tucker Velvet Underground track and Dandelion is could easily be pre-glam T-Rex.

Though IRM wears its influences without shame, its influences are varied enough to lift it from pastiche and Charlotte's hauntingly beautiful vocals tie each song on IRM together into a classy, coherent whole. Have a listen on Spotify here.

8/10

Spotigift - Oldies But Goodies

Helen Of Troy... has been feeling rather nostalgic of late, which has resulted in an all thriller and filler, classics playlist. Tracks include the unforgettable Love Is A Battlefield by Pat Benatar, Proud Mary by the ever-youthful Tina Turner, and vintage Madonna in the form of Helen Of Troy... favourite Dress You Up. To check out these tracks and more, go here. Enjoy!

New Music: MNDR

Helen Of Troy... first came across MNDR (pronounced man dar) late last year, thanks to blogging favourite Sheena Beaston. Since then, the blogosphere has caught on majorly to this synth-lovin' lady, earning her the much-coveted label of 'one to watch in 2010'.

Hailing from Brooklyn, MNDR aka Amanda Warner, is a fine purveyor of perfectly-crafted "ass tested beats"! Helen Of Troy... favourite C.L.U.B, along with other MySpace-featured track Fade To Black, convey best MNDR's knack for creating cool and accessible IDM (Intelligent Dance Music).

To check out the aforementioned tracks and more, head over to http://www.myspace.com/mndrtronica

Normal Service Has Been Resumed!

Helen Of Troy... would like to apologise dear readers (if we have any left!) for the complete lack of posts and updates in 2010. Due to unfortunate and unforeseen circumstances, we were forced to take a longer-than-planned break from the beloved blogosphere. Fear not however, for Helen Of Troy... is coming back with power, power! Watch this space!

Best Albums Of 2009

After much deliberation, Helen Of Troy... has finally come up with our best albums of the year (in no particular order). We hope you like it...

PJ Harvey - A Woman A Man Walked By
The XX - XX
Bat For Lashes - Two Suns
Peaches - I Feel Cream
Metric - Fantasies
Florence and the Machine - Lungs
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz!
Fever Ray - When I Grow Up
Tegan and Sara - Sainthood
Amanda Blank - I Love You

That's us until 2010 (how scary is that?!?!)
We can't wait to see what a new year and a new decade brings.
Have an awesome Christmas and even better new year y'all.
Lynds & Marie-Claire

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The Best Lady Singles Of 2009

2009 has not been the best year for music, but in amongst the rough there have been some bona fide diamonds. We have return singles from Helen Of Troy.. favourites PJ Harvey, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Peaches, plus hot-off-the-press classics from newbies like Micachu, Mini Viva and The XX. Here for your listening pleasure, in no particular order, is Helen Of Troy's best singles of 2009.

As ever, let us know if you think we've missed anything and where we might have gone wrong.

Peaches - I Feel Cream
Britney Spears - Circus
Florence And The Machine - Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Zero
thecocknbullkid - I'm Not Sorry
Micachu - Turn Me Well
PJ Harvey and John Parish - Black Hearted Love
Amanda Blank - Make It, Take It
Mini Viva - Left My Heart In Tokyo
Janelle Monae - Come Alive (War Of The Roses)
Tegan And Sara - Hell
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Heads Will Roll
Bat For Lashes - Pearl's Dream
Girls Aloud - Untouchable
The XX - Islands
Lily Allen - Not Fair
Florence And The Machine - Drumming Song
Kelis - Acapella
Thunderheist - Nothing2Step2
St. Vincent - Marrow

Here's a handy Spotify playlist of all the tracks we could get our hands on! Enjoy!

New Music: Nneka

If like Helen Of Troy... you never quite got over the tragic demise of Lauryn Hill's musical career, fear not, for we have found the next best thing in the form of deliciously-defiant, continent-hopping Nneka. Based in Hamburg, the Nigerian-born singer-songwriter combines rich soulful sounds with poignant socio-political commentary.

Standout tracks on Nneka's MySpace page include the truly irresistible Heartbeat (so irresistible in fact that Xenomania newbs Mini Viva covered it on Radio 1's Live Lounge earlier this year!), nu-soul delight The Uncomfortable Truth, and the stripped-down Come With Me complete with Neneh Cherry-esque vocals.

Having already bagged her first award for Best African Act at this year's Mobos, 2010 looks set to be a very promising year for this up-and-coming youngster!

http://www.myspace.com/nnekaworld

Kelis - Acapella

We may be a bit two thousand and late on this one, but Kelis' new track Acapella is simply amazeballs! Check it out below.

Helen's Albums Of The Decade

In response to NME's rather unimaginative and questionable 'Albums of the Decade' list, Helen Of Troy... decided the only thing to do was to put on our proverbial thinking caps and come up with our own lady-led version.

Doing the list was all kinds of fun, but it also made us feel really freakin' old!

So here, in alphabetical, rather than rank, order, is our top 20 lady albums of the naughties.

Bat For Lashes – Fur And Gold

Britney Spears – Blackout

CSS – Cansei De Ser Sexy

Feist – The Reminder

Florence And The Machine – Lungs

Girls Aloud – Chemistry

Gossip – Standing In The Way Of Control

Gwen Stefani – Love, Angel, Music, Baby

Kelis – Kaleidoscope

M.I.A.- Arular

M.I.A. - Kala

Madonna - Music

Patti Smith – Trampin’

PJ Harvey – Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea

PJ Harvey - White Chalk

Roisin Murphy – Ruby Blue

Sleater Kinney - The Woods

The Long Blondes – Someone To Drive You Home

Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Fever To Tell

Yelle – Pop Up

Did we miss anyone off?

Our Interview With SoundProof Magazine

The lovely people at Canadian music website SoundProof Magazine interviewed us last month and have given us an awesome write-up, posted below for your reading pleasure.


Profiles In Blogedness - Helen of Troy Does Counterop Writings

By: Eoghan Macguire

^{November 13, 2009 – Manchester, United Kingdom}

Hidden somewhere amongst the ubiquitous mesh of crotch hugging skinny jeans, indie rock poses and £100 boys haircuts, which combine to make up the postmodern boy band scene, lies an underexposed gold mine of diverse and creative music.

It's a sad fact that—thanks to the boy-centric nature of much contemporary mainstream music—it may come as a shock that many of these burgeoning and talented acts are of the feminine variety. To paraphrase Morrissey by finishing the song he never wrote: "some girls are bigger than others, but most are overlooked by the mainstream media, record companies and music consumers."

Within this conundrum exists the devilishly simple raison d'être of Helen of Troy Does Countertop Writings. Seeking out the very best under-exposed female artists and bands, the UK-based blog aims to shine a spotlight on all things talented and XX chromosome specific.

Founded by journalists Lyndsey Hayes and Marie-Claire Daly, the concept began as an alternative London club night in mid-2008, under the guise of Helen of Troy Does Countertop Dancing. In light of the event's success, the Helen of Troy Does Countertop Writings blog was formed two months later as yet another medium for the best female musicians and a forum for Hayes' and Daly's musical passions.

"After years of reading about skinny, white, indie boy-bands, we decided it was time that female artists were given the same attention. We were surrounded by amazing artists like M.I.A. and Lykke Li and we wanted to comment on it in the hope of redressing the balance. It seemed a shame that the artists who were making some of the most progressive and diverse music around were not receiving the acclaim they deserved. We therefore wanted to provide a place where clued-up music fans could visit to find news, reviews and commentary pieces on the very best female artists around," say Hayes and Daly.

Although the focus on female artists differentiates Helen of Troy from the thousands of other blogs and popular music sites of a similar scale and musical composition, the creators hope that their passion, experience, enthusiasm, quirky style and content will further see their "labour of love" inform and inspire an intelligent and open-minded audience that can look beyond the obvious singularity of sexual characteristics.

"Since launching in June of 2008, our readership has steadily increased, so we must be doing something right. We originally set out with the hope of striking the right balance between humour, politics, and musical knowledge, and our stats tend to suggest our readers feel we have accomplished this.

"Having worked on an arts desk of a national newspaper, we both understand that sometimes people cover artists just to fill space. We hope that our readers trust our judgement, and feel they are getting quality commentary each and every time. Also, we'd like to think that both our writing style and approach are fairly distinctive, and suit the content of the blog. We love all kinds of artists and the blog is not genre specific, therefore we love Girls Aloud as much as PJ Harvey. We believe that a brilliant pop song is as valid as a brilliant rock, indie or electro song. What Helen of Troy would like to see is not just increased representation of female artists, but representation where female artists are not promoted on the strength of appearance, but on the strength of their work."

A glance at some of the site favourites gives a hint as to the genuine nature of Hayes and Daly's claims to musical diversity. "Posts on artists such as Madonna, Florence and The Machine, M.I.A, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Peaches, and Ladyhawke are always really well received. There is also a lot of traffic towards artists such as Madonna, Courtney Love, M.I.A, Brazilian Girls, Patti Smith, Girls Aloud, Salt ‘N' Pepa, Bonde Do Role, Amanda Blank, Peaches—we could go on, and on, and on! Each of the above have been trailblazers in their particular field, inspiring us to both create and maintain the blog. Thankfully, we seem to have a fairly-inclusive readership which we think reflects our content."

The recent success and popularity of the site, which Hayes and Daly refer to, is not exclusive to Helen of Troy. The increasing importance of such alternative information outlets are merely a microcosm of the wider tectonic shifts being felt across the entire media industry, which both Daly and Hayes recognize and see as an opportunity for their own growth.

Passionate and specialized blogs such as Helen of Troy have become indicative of the thousands of low cost niche blogs which are gaining trust, credibility and increasing relevance amongst the most clued up and voracious music fans. This is in stark contrast to the majority of traditional print publications who have failed to adapt to technological advances and have been left facing massive cutbacks, dwindling sales and the terminal illness of irrelevance.

"As paid-for online content becomes the norm, more and more people will turn to the likes of bloggers and social media enthusiasts for their daily dose of news and comment. We check at least twenty blogs per day for new posts and updates. We feel that a lot of enthusiasts follow the same routine as us, and this will only increase as print media continues to decline," say Hayes and Daly.

In contrast to many struggling traditional music publications, the shackles of image sensitive Public Relations Officer's and compromised objectivity, thankfully, does not affect the output of the likes of Helen of Troy and their ilk.

"We're not doing this for money, which means that we have the freedom to write honestly and objectively, with a sense of character and humor. The fact that Helen of Troy is a blog born out of a passion for quality music has contributed to the fact that people respect our opinions. We obviously want our readership to increase as much as possible, but ultimately this is a labour of love and not a business for us. We research and write about new music because we want to share the amazing music we've found with as many people as possible. "

Such genuine and refreshing sentiments ensure that if media trends are to be followed then it would be wise for all girls (and boys) to stick with Helen of Troy Does Countertop Writings.


Helen of Troy Does Countertop Writings were one of a long list of Manchester-based blogs, journalists, artist and club owners who were invited to contribute their picks to SoundProof's Top 20 Manchester Albums of All-Time list which will appear on Monday (November 16).

To check out more, head to www.soundproofmagazine.com

Album Review: Tegan And Sara - Sainthood

With an album release schedule that is literally littered with re-releases and greatest hits collections during the run-up to Christmas, the release of Tegan and Sara's long-awaited sixth studio album has arrived just in time to provide the perfect antidote for Helen Of Troy...'s seasonal cynicism.

Following on from their highly-acclaimed album The Con, Sainthood is somewhat of a departure for the dynamic duo, marking a number of changes in both their sound and production. Most notably perhaps being that this is the first album to feature tracks penned by both twins during their illustrious 14-year-long career.

Proceedings kick off with stunning opening track Arrow, introducing a new harder-edged and more electronically-inclined sound that features heavily throughout. Lead single Hell, rather pleasingly sounds as though it could have been lifted straight from Metric's fabulous recent album Fantasies, whilst tracks such as Night Watch and Paperback Head slow things down somewhat by showcasing a more experimental and quirkier sound.

On first listen Helen Of Troy... was left feeling a little underwhelmed by the whole affair, however this album is a grower in the truest sense of the word - two listens and we were well and truly hooked. At the risk of alienating old-school T&S fans, this may be their best album yet!

8/10

Spotigift

Helen Of Troy... has put together a lovely little playlist to lift your dreary October Wednesday, featuring the brilliant Fuzzbox (pictured), the magnificent Amanda Blank, the superb Micachu and, erm, Barbara Dixon and Elaine Paige. Enjoy!

Helen Of Troy... Oct playlist

New Music: Music Go Music

Helen Of Troy... has fallen in love (again!). This time the object of our affection are the magnificent Music Go Music. This LA-based trio (which can swell to a seven piece depending on occasion), channel the spirit of the 1970s to create stone cold classics which are equal parts joyous and heartbreaking.

They sound like a mash-up of Abba, Pulp, Belle And Sebastian, Kate Bush, Fleetwood Mac and Donna Summer. Hardly ground-breaking, granted, but every one of the five songs we've heard has an immediacy many bands struggle their entire careers to achieve just once.

Music Go Music will be in Manchester this week, supporting Franz Ferdinand at The Apollo on Saturday. If your fancy isn't tickled by spanking £20 quid on a support band, check out the video below and revel in the majesty of the new queen and kings of high-quality, high-camp pop.

Album Review: Karen O And The Kids – Where The Wild Things Are

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs' It's Blitz! is still up there as one of Helen Of Troy's favourite albums of 2009, so hats off to Karen O, who's made it into our top ten list again with her delightful soundtrack to Where The Wild Things Are.

Recorded in the guise of Karen O And The Kids, this gorgeous 14-track collection of lullaby-like ditties and shouty, hand-clappy floor-fillers is a delightful diversion from Ms O's day job, and sounds like it'll be the perfect fit for Spike Jonze's freakin' amazing-looking film, Where The Wild Things Are (scheduled for release on Dec 11).

Tracks like All Is Love, Rumpus and Capsize sound like The Yeah Yeah Yeahs playing in a sandpit with The Flaming Lips and The Polyphonic Spree; a joyous, smile-inducing soundtrack to the best kids' party ever.

Where The Wild Things Are isn't all jelly, ice cream and primary coloured happiness, however. Tracks like Worried Shoes and Hideaway portray perfectly the doubt, confusion and sadness that play a part in almost every person's childhood.

Helen Of Troy...'s fear of the pre-pubescent would normally have us running a mile from any album featuring or aimed at children, but Where The Wild Things Are is an absolute joy and the perfect antidote to the doom and gloom of (supposed) adulthood in 2009.

The lovely people at Spotify have put the album up already, so have a listen, fall in love, and let us know what you think.

spotify:album:1GJHGVV5KGS2cV0oBc58VQ

9/10

What a difference a babe makes

While Sugababes Mark 1 were pretty, polished, and undoubtedly led by the hand by record company execs, there was a genuine feeling that Keisha, Mutya and Siobhan were three girls brought together by a shared love of music, given the chance to make records at a young age because of genuine talent. They were fresh-faced, fresh sounding and made brilliant pop records.

When Heidi 'dead behind the eyes' Range was brought in to replace titian beauty Siobhan, it was clear the Sugababes' MO had changed, but Keisha and Mutya's fierce attitude and classic tracks like Hole In The Head, Round Round, Freak Like Me and Push The Button, ensured the 'babes were still a pop force to be reckoned with. They wrote their own songs, performed with passion, and managed to rise above myriad storms and fashions to become the biggest selling British girl band of all time.

Now, with Mutya replaced by Amelle and, most recently (and cattily), Keisha replaced by newbabe Jade Ewen, Sugababes Mark 4 seem more like sex-selling singers than seriously talented songwriters.

Regardless of line-up changes, the girls' growth form surly teens to surly women was always going to result in changes, but Helen Of Troy... can't help but think that the current line-up is more likely to produce vacuously sexy sub standard Pussycat Dolls tracks than stone-cold survivors' classics like Sugababes of old.

Maybe Amelle, Heidi and Jade will prove us wrong, or maybe we'll see Keisha, Mutya and Siobhan form The Real Sugababes©. Our money's on the latter.

Fight For THIS Love?

Helen Of Troy... thinks Cheryl Cole's debut solo single, Fight For This Love, sounds like a bad Steps B-Side.



What do you think?

New Music: You're Only Massive

There may be a few months left of 2009, but Helen Of Troy can say with confidence we’ve found our favourite lyric of the year.

‘Put the cheddar in the pocket put the rest into the jacket – what do you do? Do a runner.’

This super-cool homage to the theft of fromage comes courtesy of Waterford/Berlin electro-poppers You’re Only Massive on their excellent MySpace track Do A Runner.

Maebh Chesty and David Murphy, who make up You’re Only Massive, make infectious shouty electro which combines the childlike chutzpah of early CSS with the pared-down party beats of Peaches.

Current single Under The Neon is one of three delectable disco-tastic tracks available on You’re Only Massive’s MySpace, and if these three fabulous floor-fillers are anything to go by, their debut album, currently in production, should be freakin’ awesome.

Check them out at www.myspace.com/youreonlymassive or have a look at the lo-fi video for Under The Neon below.

Let's get giggical, giggical

The Mancunian non-festival live music drought draws to a close as those loveable students return to clog up our busses and bars. Spurred on by memories of five-gigs-a-week student days, Helen Of Troy… decided to start booking a few gig tickets to lift our over-too-soon summer blues. While there are a few sweet gigs in the pipeline, we were hardly overwhelmed by the lady talent visiting our fair city of the next couple of months – but here, in our humble opinion, is a brief list of the very best…

Sept 25 – Florence And The Machine
There’s not much more we (or anyone else) can say about the ubiquitous Flo-Mo. She’s awesome, her album’s awesome and she’s, you guessed it, pretty awesome live. Get a ticket if you can. Academy 1, 7pm, £13, sold out, returns only

www.myspace.com/florenceandthemachine

Sept 27 - Speech Debelle
By the time 26-year-old Brit-rapper Speech Debelle comes to Manchester, the fate of her recent Mercury Prize nomination will be revealed (winners are being announced next Monday, Sept 8th.) Until then, all eyes (and ears?) will be on the London-based musician, whose debut album Speech Therapy is a soulful, jazzy exercise in considered acoustic hip hop.
Night & Day, 7pm , £8
www.myspace.com/speechdebellemusic

Sept 29 – Nite Jewel
She may only have four songs on her MySpce page, but we’re already all over the work of Californian lo-fi indie diva Nite Jewel, aka Ramona Gonzalez. Jewel’s grainy electro-pop, Cocteau Twins-esque ethereal vocals and slow and scuzzy electro backing is a real treat.
The Deaf Institute, 7.30pm, £5
www.myspace.com/nitejewel

Oct 8 – Micachu
Back in January, Helen Of Troy… picked the lovely Micachu as one of our alternative tips for 2009. Since then, she’s released her debut album Jewellery to almost universal critical acclaim and has been taking her wonderfully weird, lo-fi pop around the world. Micachu’s back on British soil in October, so don’t miss this chance to catch one of the most exciting artists of the year in the loveliest live venue in town.
The Deaf Institute, 7.30pm, £7.50
www.myspace.com/micayomusic

New Music: KiD A

We might be a little tardy on this, but Helen Of Troy… firmly believes that late is better than never, so we’d like to introduce you to the marvellous KiD A, aka Anni T, whose debut single, wasnotwas, was released on June 15th. Wasnotwas is a delicious slice of scuzzy, repetetative electro-pop aided by Anni’s sweet but sultry drawl.

This Virginia-born singer, composer and producer has been working with dan le sac on forthcoming EP In A Dream House, We All Ride Carousels, which promises to be another example of near-perfect electro-pop.

Head to www.myspace.com/kida for a listen (we especially like the EEPROM ‘on fire’ remix).

Watch this space!