Item Description
HELENE MARC / In The Beginning As far as I can tell from CollectorsFrenzy, Discogs and Popsike, this stark and disturbing acid folk LP has never previously appeared for sale online.
This is your chance, it may never show up again Apparently only 100 copies were pressed in 1971 for demo purposes.
It is listed in the Acid Archives compared favorably ? to Bobb Trimble and Linda Perhacs and supposedly also appeared on Paul Major s record lists although I don t have access to them to verify.
Here is Patrick Lundborg s description from Acid Archives: HELENE MARC PA The Beginning 1971 Veritable 3-4 This obscure private pressing is housed in an infamous spooky amateur cover drawing of the duo with gigantic eyes and freaky long necks.
The music is emotionally charged downer folk and singer-songwriter with mixed vocals and guitar, piano, bass, flute.
Helene s tracks have an unsettling suicidal vibe which transcends the genre norm into domains of real bleakness that may freak sensitive listeners out.
The sincerity is somewhat undermined by a songwriting that varies in quality especially on the first 3-4 tracks and vocals aren t that impressive, neither solo or when harmonizing.
Still, there are hooks scattered about, and a professional recording removes some of the psycho-therapy specter.
The desperate Smoke Patterns projects visions of empty asylum corridors and fruitless shock treatments Helene s ghostly chanting and the backwards effects sound like Bobb Trimble on a really bad day.
This remarkable track is followed by The Costume Ball, another stark Xanax trip sung from a disillusioned female outsider perspective.
Time is the most accessible song, with Helene s voice gaining strength from multi-tracking, and a strong minor chord melody with a bit of a Linda Perhacs feel.
The final tracks try to introduce a more upbeat, harmonious hippie mood, which in my ears only adds to the prevailing feel of despair.
This is a challenging LP that may prove to real for most as a trip inside the head of a young woman falling apart its quality is almost literary, provided that the rough edges can be swallowed.
Only a few copies are known to exist.
This copy is in extremely good condition.
LP looks flawless and plays with almost no noise sleeve is clean and tight.
I ve uploaded a recording of this copy in its entirety so please listen and judge for yourself before bidding.
HELENE MARC 4 Media Mail shipping US, 15 Mexico and Canada, 22 First Class International.
If you win the auction and would prefer additional insurance, tracking or shipping options just let me know and we ll work it out.
No additional charge to ship additional albums if you win more than one auction.
Sorry but I don t ship to France or Italy.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions and check out my other auctions, I ve got some other titles up simultaneously.On Nov-27-17 at 16:33:31 PST, seller added the following information: Quick additional note: I mistakenly listed the title as In The Beginning, the record is just called The Beginning.
Also, that audio clip I posted takes a few seconds to kick in because I forgot to edit the opening segment.
Thanks again for looking -Doug
