The Dirt of Luck

The Dirt of Luck is the first full-length album from American indie rock band Helium.[10][11] It was released in April 1995 on Matador Records and was produced by Adam Lasus.

The Dirt of Luck
Studio album by
Helium
ReleasedApril 1995
Recorded1994
GenreIndie rock
Length44:17
LabelMatador Records[1]
ProducerHelium
Adam Lasus[2]
Helium chronology
Pirate Prude
(1994)		 The Dirt of Luck
(1995)		 Superball E.P.
(1995)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
Chicago Tribune[4]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[5]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide[6]
Orlando Sentinel[7]
Pitchfork8.0/10[8]
The Village Voice[9]

Recording

The album was partly recorded by Timony and Devlin, before bassist Ash Bowie joined the group.[12]

Critical reception

Trouser Press wrote: "Best of all is the opener, 'Pat’s Trick,' a distorted, percussive exercise in sexual obsession made riveting by Timony’s fluttering-yet- powerful delivery."[10] Salon wrote that "the arcing melodies on notable Dirt of Luck songs such as 'Pat's Trick' and 'Honeycomb' contort like a kite twisting in the sky, as Timony's dusky voice and noisy guitar hum add a steadying presence."[13] Rolling Stone called the album an "off-kilter pop opus."[14] Gimme Indie Rock: 500 Essential American Underground Rock Albums 1981-1996 called it "a beacon of progressive noise-pop."[15]

Track listing
  1. "Pat's Trick" - 3:20
  2. "Trixie's Star" - 2:44
  3. "Silver Angel" - 2:54
  4. "Baby's Going Underground" - 6:24
  5. "Medusa" - 3:10
  6. "Comet #9" - 2:09
  7. "Skeleton" - 4:11
  8. "Superball" - 2:35
  9. "All the X's Have Wings" - 3:13
  10. "Oh, the Wind and Rain" - 5:29
  11. "Honeycomb" - 4:22
  12. "Flower of the Apocalypse" - 3:46

Personnel
  • Mary Timony - Organ, Bass, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, Xylophone
  • Ash Bowie - Bass, Guitar, Keyboards
  • Shawn King Devlin - Percussion, Drums
  • Adam Lasus - Producer, Engineer
  • Greg Calbi - Mastering

References
  1. "The Dirt of Luck". store.matadorrecords.com.
  2. Niesel, Jeff. "Singer-Guitarist Mary Timony Revisits Helium's Music in Advance of Reunion Show". Cleveland Scene.
  3. Phares, Heather. The Dirt of Luck at AllMusic
  4. Ryan, Mo (29 June 1995). "The Dirt of Luck Review". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  5. Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Volume 4: MUZE. p. 227.CS1 maint: location (link)
  6. MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 539.
  7. Gettelman, Parry (1995-08-11). "Helium". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 2017-11-27.
  8. Schroeder, Amy (24 May 2017). "The Dirt of Luck". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 6 July 2017.
  9. Christgau, Robert (1996-01-23). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice.
  10. "Helium". Trouser Press. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  11. "Helium | Biography & History". AllMusic.
  12. Thompson, Dave (October 15, 2000). Alternative Rock. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 9780879306076 – via Google Books.
  13. "For '90s indie fave Helium, a simple reissue became a second act". Salon. May 18, 2017.
  14. Exposito, Suzy (June 9, 2017). "Helium's Mary Timony Talks Two Decades of Offbeat Indie-Rock Excellence". Rolling Stone.
  15. Earles, Andrew (September 15, 2014). Gimme Indie Rock: 500 Essential American Underground Rock Albums 1981-1996. Voyageur Press. ISBN 9780760346488 – via Google Books.
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