''Helioself'' is the second album by
Papas Fritas
Papas Fritas (typically stylized as pApAs fritAs) was an American indie rock band that formed in 1992 and released three studio albums before breaking up in 2000. The band's name is Spanish for "fried potatoes" (specifically " French fries" in A ...
, released in 1997. According to the band's website, "''Helioself'' is the name of the mythical Sun-Ra sessions that were so powerful ... they were sealed away in a lost vault by request of the Ra himself because the world was not ready for such harmonic energy."
Ivy covered ''Helioselfs third track, "Say Goodbye," on their 2002 album ''
Guestroom''.
Production
The album was recorded at frontman Tony Goddess's home studio, in
Gloucester, Massachusetts
Gloucester () is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It sits on Cape Ann and is a part of Massachusetts's North Shore. The population was 29,729 at the 2020 U.S. Census. An important center of the fishing industry and a ...
.
Critical reception
''
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide'' wrote that the album "catalogs a whole crateful of airy pop influences to create an organic, indie-pop masterpiece."
[ '']Trouser Press
''Trouser Press'' was a rock and roll magazine started in New York in 1974 as a mimeographed fanzine by editor/publisher Ira Robbins, fellow fan of the Who Dave Schulps and Karen Rose under the name "Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press" (a reference to ...
'' wrote that "it flows like a well- programmed jukebox: unified by a rustic disposition, the album’s stylistic diversity feels comfortably natural, the songs instantly familiar without being selfconscious or specifically derivative."Chicago Reader
The ''Chicago Reader'', or ''Reader'' (stylized as ЯEADER), is an American alternative weekly newspaper in Chicago, Illinois, noted for its literary style of journalism and coverage of the arts, particularly film and theater. It was founded by a ...
'' wrote that "the band's musical cataloging of its forebears can get annoying at times, but for the most part the sheer sunniness of the melodies diminishes these shortcomings."
Track listing
All songs written by Papas Fritas (Shivika Asthana, Keith Gendel, and Tony Goddess).
#"Hey Hey You Say" – 3:14
#"We've Got All Night" – 3:04
#"Say Goodbye" – 4:04
#"Small Rooms" – 2:23
#"Rolling in the Sand" – 1:48
#"Live by the Water" – 2:45
#"Words to Sing" – 2:48
#"Sing About Me" – 2:28
#"Just to See You" – 3:54
#"Captain of the City" – 3:50
#"Weight" – 1:49
#"Starting to Be It" – 2:54
Personnel
* Shivika Asthana: drums, vocals
* Keith Gendel: bass, vocals
* Tony Goddess: guitar, piano, vocals
* Shivika Asthana, Maria Le Rossow: tapping ("Weight")
* Bryan Hanna: additional percussion ("Hey Hey You Say," "Weight")
Production notes
Engineered by Bryan Hanna at the Columnated Ruins (Gloucester, Mass.). Mixed by Paul Q. Kolderie
Paul Q. Kolderie is an American record producer, engineer, and mixer. He has worked with Pixies, Radiohead, Orangutang, Hole, Dinosaur Jr., Juliana Hatfield, Wax, Warren Zevon, Uncle Tupelo, Throwing Muses, Morphine, the Mighty Mighty Bosstone ...
and Sean Slade
Sean Slade (born 14 November 1957) is an American record producer, engineer, and mixer. On many of his productions he worked in partnership with Paul Q. Kolderie.
Career
Slade was born in Lansing, Michigan, United States. He graduated from Yal ...
at Fort Apache (Cambridge, Mass). Mastered by Roger Siebel at SAE (Phoenix, Ariz.). Protection by Michael Hafitz. Direction by Peter Leak for the New York End Ltd. Special thanks to Jim Powers and Anthony Musiala.
References
{{Authority control
1997 albums