Helium

The Profile

Helium is an American indie rock band from Boston, active from 1992 to 1998 and led by songwriter/guitarist Mary Timony. They released The Dirt of Luck (1995) and The Magic City (1997) on Matador Records, alongside influential EPs and singles.

Core members included Mary Timony, Ash Bowie, and Shawn King Devlin; releases were issued by Matador Records.

Two DeBaser reviews spotlight Helium’s Matador-era punch: noisy guitars rubbing against pop lullabies, with Mary Timony’s sweet-but-restless voice on top. Pirate Prude (1994) gets framed as a rough, enticing calling card; The Dirt of Luck (1995) as twelve jagged gems balancing feedback and melody. References to Breeders, My Bloody Valentine, and Pavement underline the sound’s noisy charm.