Helvetia

The sixth release by Seattle, WA and Arcata, CA-based experimental psych act Helvetia, On The Lam (The Static Cult Label), is filled with slow builds that toss you into a blur of thrummy '90s guitar and echo-y vocals, bounce you across double-timed Billy Joel-in-his-prime piano or leave you skidding across the dirt in a minute-and-a-half-long track that disappears with an electronic tick-tick-tick. It's an intensely layered album that evokes Radiohead-like experimentation, Built To Spill-inspired arrangements and T-Rex-esque rock all helmed by a somewhat reticent rock star. Helvetia is the name given to the "female personification" of Switzerland, the homeland of the band's multi-instrumentalist frontman, 35-year-old Jason Albertini. Albertini and drummer Canaan "Dove" Amber (a fellow Duster alum) have made up the core of the band since their 2006 debut, Clever North Wind. 

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In the years since, Helvetia released more albums and opened for Built To Spill (Albertini spends time on the road with BTS running stage sound and members of BTS sometimes play with Helvetia). Albertini moved to Humboldt County to work in construction when he isn't touring with BTS and recently played drums with fellow Swiss band Disco Doom at SXSW. The change in geography - to an area he says has "beautiful mystic qualities" - was in some ways prompted by changes in Seattle itself. "I wouldn't say it was a falling out with the city," Albertini said in a deep, softly accented voice. "It was just time to move on. I spent a lot of time growing up in California when I was a kid. Dove and I lived in San Jose. It was just time to try something new."

And technically, to try something old. "[With On The Lam] I was trying to get back to a Nor Cal vibe," Albertini said. "All the music I did before I moved to Seattle was always really inspired by this area. I can't really read too much into it, but I definitely had that feeling of going back to Northern Cali, kind of hiding out, just trying to get myself straight." Albertini and Dove "went into the woodshed" and began working on On The Lam. Albertini records at home and said that he would record a "whole bunch of stuff" and once he thought it was decent, he would call Dove and the two of them would re-record. It was a long process but the payoff was worth it. [Boise Weekly, 2011]