I’ve seen them three or four times, and still can’t quite put my finger on what it is about their live shows. Perhaps it’s Benjamin’s uncanny Keith Moon style of flailing, and his slack-jawed rhythmic precision, or Brandon’s neo-psychedelic clothing and hair, and nasal, dreamlike John Lennon vocals. Or maybe it’s the insane boom of the huge new Marshall amp that broadcasts the "sequence" part of The Helio Sequence - the low bass sounds, the wooshy, dreamy 4AD wave sounds, the synth strings. Despite being very restricted by the pre-arranged sequencing, the music sounds surprisingly organic and free. (Portland’s The High Violets, on the other hand, who also use sequenced sounds occasionally, to my ears, sound very stifled by the inherent framework of the sequencing).

I’ve always enjoyed Helio Sequence's cover of Tomorrow Never Knows, perhaps because it preserves what was (and still is) great about The Beatles’ original version (except for George Harrison’s weird guitar-seagull sounds.) Not many bands could get away with covering this song, but THS manage to do so, and make it sound like it’s all theirs. I wonder if it’ll be on the new album?

Having made their mark on two industry festivals in the last seven months, North By Northwest and South By Southwest, they’re already making huge strides towards popular exposure. I’d like to predict that they’ll soon achieve the national status their music deserves, but I think I’ll hold off, since it’s likely a foregone conclusion anyway.

Last time I wrote about A Man Called Sun, they were anxious to release a compilation CD featuring material off previous EPs and singles, from over the last three years. That CD is now available, and has been released, with some help from Portland’s own Tim/Kerr Records (onetime label of The Dandy Warhols, Swoon 23, Sugarboom, Everclear, Hole), though as of press time, I’m not sure to what extent the relationship between AMCS and T/K extends. The CD is being distributed by NAIL distribution and T/K jointly. The new CD is called This Land of Eldorado and, slightly rough in spots though it is, it’s a great album.

The band continues to win converts in Portland with nonstop live performances all over town at the various small, hip venues (EJ’s, The Tonic Lounge, Satyricon, Red Light). They also recently played the NRK radio’s "Local Showcase" at Lola’s. Outside of Portland, they’ve played at Slim’s in San Francisco, supporting Black Lab, and The Crocodile Cafe in Seattle, supporting Martha Wainwright (sister of Rufus Wainwright and daughter of Loudon Wainwright and Kate McGarrigle).

The bad news for Portland is that the band, having only lived there for a scant 11 months, plans to relocate to Seattle for the time being to "woodshed" (hole up for months to write and practice new music), and brainstorm for the new album. It’ll be recorded at Peak Studio with Chip Butters as producer, and will possibly be released at the end of Summer 2000, or sometime in Fall 2000. Even while living in Seattle, they plan to head down for many live shows in the Portland area, and could possibly be moving back after they’re through with what Seattle has to offer.

They’ve already got a good bit of new material on the way, including edgier songs like Echo Crater and Eclipse (recently debuted at an EJ’s show - this song is incredible), Preacher’s Bridge, I Think It’s Time (an old unused song finally coming into its own - a staple of their newer live sets), the happy British Invasion-style pop of She’s All Mine, and Rollercoaster. The band continues to redefine their older songs (Road Song, The Traveler) via the live experience, never content to leave any given song unaltered for too long.

See resonance for mp3s from AMCS and Helio Sequence.

24 Hours of Rubbish is written by Kell Are Dockham.