Re: Helmetdome: Meantime vs. Betty
2I'd vote for the Born Annoying demo, hahahahah!
Ok, Meantime is much, much better than Betty. (Alliteration alert!) Betty, in my opinion, is where Helmet starts losing the plot, despite a few very good songs. But it's kinda bloated and all over the place.
Meantime is a decent album, but even that sounds too streamlined and it clearly points the way to horrible nü metal from later in the decade.
Strap It On and, especially, the first demo have aged way better. You can hear more of a kinship w/stuff like Killing Joke and various NYC noise-rock bands. And the funk, slickness, and meathead moves aren't so overt yet. Call me a contrarian snob, but I've always preferred very, very early Helmet, which catered more to the band's neighborhood than to Middle America.
Ok, Meantime is much, much better than Betty. (Alliteration alert!) Betty, in my opinion, is where Helmet starts losing the plot, despite a few very good songs. But it's kinda bloated and all over the place.
Meantime is a decent album, but even that sounds too streamlined and it clearly points the way to horrible nü metal from later in the decade.
Strap It On and, especially, the first demo have aged way better. You can hear more of a kinship w/stuff like Killing Joke and various NYC noise-rock bands. And the funk, slickness, and meathead moves aren't so overt yet. Call me a contrarian snob, but I've always preferred very, very early Helmet, which catered more to the band's neighborhood than to Middle America.
Re: Helmetdome: Meantime vs. Betty
3Strap it On has aged better indeed, but Meantime still rules.
Betty has some OK tracks, I don't hate it, but I don't usually reach for it.
Betty has some OK tracks, I don't hate it, but I don't usually reach for it.
Re: Helmetdome: Meantime vs. Betty
4Points taken, but the efficiency and controlled force of Meantime has always appealed to me. I can separate them from the garbage bands that were to come; Stanier and Bogdan elevate the band far above the blunt force/boingy snare/rap dreck that fail to imitate. Not even in the same category.OrthodoxEaster wrote: Thu Aug 26, 2021 10:51 am I'd vote for the Born Annoying demo, hahahahah!
Ok, Meantime is much, much better than Betty. (Alliteration alert!) Betty, in my opinion, is where Helmet starts losing the plot, despite a few very good songs. But it's kinda bloated and all over the place.
Meantime is a decent album, but even that sounds too streamlined and it clearly points the way to horrible nü metal from later in the decade.
Strap It On and, especially, the first demo have aged way better. You can hear more of a kinship w/stuff like Killing Joke and various NYC noise-rock bands. And the funk, slickness, and meathead moves aren't so overt yet. Call me a contrarian snob, but I've always preferred very, very early Helmet, which catered more to the band's neighborhood than to Middle America.
Re: Helmetdome: Meantime vs. Betty
6Meantime has a better average of great tracks, especially since it has a smaller count. I enjoy both records, but still prefer Strap it On for early Helmet and Aftertaste for late, polished Helmet (take three or four songs out of it and it's a great record).
btw, I'm pretty sure the intro to I Know has been "paid tribute" to many times at this point, not sure how many post-80's tracks can claim that distinction.
btw, I'm pretty sure the intro to I Know has been "paid tribute" to many times at this point, not sure how many post-80's tracks can claim that distinction.
Re: Helmetdome: Meantime vs. Betty
8Meantime here, but I had forgotten how sick "I Know" is. Also, Love Agenda by Band of Susans.
We're headed for social anarchy when people start pissing on bookstores.
Re: Helmetdome: Meantime vs. Betty
9Meantime may be the most consistent. But it also sounds a bit samey towards the end.
Betty is one of my favorite production/recording works. Sometimes I put it on the tt just for the pleasure of listening. That drum sound. Some tracks are a bit weak in its experimental nature, but the highs there beat the highs fron Meantime methinks.
But yeah, nothing like Strap it on really. That record is THE LAW.
Betty is one of my favorite production/recording works. Sometimes I put it on the tt just for the pleasure of listening. That drum sound. Some tracks are a bit weak in its experimental nature, but the highs there beat the highs fron Meantime methinks.
But yeah, nothing like Strap it on really. That record is THE LAW.
Re: Helmetdome: Meantime vs. Betty
10Betty for me - big step forward w/ contortionist grooves ('Vaccination', 'Flushings'), pressure cooker breakdowns ('I Know', 'Speechless') and a stronger application of their already impressive skills to more focused song writing ('Wilma's Rainbow's, 'Milquetoast'). Beautiful recording w/ lots of tiny moments of phenomenal musicianship.
Meantime has moments of peak psychopathy but is drawing from more limited resources. Still an absolute rush, though. Strap It On hasn't aged as well for me, though the chorus riff to 'Blacktop' will (as ever) reign supreme.
Meantime has moments of peak psychopathy but is drawing from more limited resources. Still an absolute rush, though. Strap It On hasn't aged as well for me, though the chorus riff to 'Blacktop' will (as ever) reign supreme.