Helmet of Gnats ~ USA ~ Connecticut

Sunday Drive [single] (2025)

Precisely one year later from Helmet of Gnats' last review, I'm checking out their next single 'Sunday Drive'. The track starts off in namesake fashion, with a pleasant ECM approach to jazz fusion. A Sunday drive indeed. Highly melodic and peaceful. The keyboard work is excellent and reminded me of The Franklin Street Arterial of all bands. Perhaps it's the New England connection. About halfway through guitarist Chris Fox enters, and ups the distortion a bit. Then around the six minute mark the Sunday drive gets mired in New York City traffic apparently. The music moves into funk territory and the guitar tone gets nastier. A wonderful progression! In that light, I'm thinking of Frank Marino on 'Poppy', which is about as nice a compliment as I can give. 

4/3/25 (review)

Nathan Deacon's Other Brain [single] (2024)

Helmet of Gnat's latest release is a lengthy seven minute track. Starting off more in electronic territory the music soon enough shifts towards a mellow Crimsonic type cyclical fusion piece. This eventually leads to the more comfortable sounds of common jazz fusion as one might hear in 1982 (they continue to move forward in time, though 40 years in the rear view mirror). Though the funky wah-wah bit at the six minute mark is a cool twist. Very nicely done.

4/3/24 (review)

Travelogue (2020)

I was recently in touch with guitarist Chris Fox, and he was kind enough to send me over a copy of Helmet of Gnats 4th and latest album Travelogue. I have notes on the second and third albums and there's a common bond between them. To cut and paste snippets from each:

"Their stock and trade is retro jazz rock/fusion, with Hammond B3 and electric guitar leading the way. Melody is front and center so this isn't a chops fest, just the way I prefer it. At times it sounds like Niacin with some spruced up psychedelic guitar leading the solo parade."

"As for style, I'm reminded of what Mandrill said about their music: "We were too prog for funk, and too funk for prog". Replace funk with fusion and you could make that same argument here."

The main theme on both of the above is that Helmet of Gnats favors melodicism over technique. And that shines through once again on Travelogue. You never have to sit through a chromatic scale shred fest, nor gymnastic rhythmic displays. Rather there's a natural flow of events to the compositions. While Timeslip refers back to the early 70s side of jazz rock, Travelogue comes in around 1977 or so. Fantastic synthesizer and other analog keys complement Fox's thoughtful guitar solos. The rhythm section is complex but not busy. Some of the warm bass tones are right out of the late 70s fusion cookbook. There are seven tracks totaling precisely 50 minutes. A full LP length, not too short where you are pining for more, not too much where it leaves you exhausted. Travelogue is timeless music, the kind that sounded fresh in the 70s and continues that way into the 2020's and most assuredly beyond. I've enjoyed all four of Helmet of Gnats albums to date.

Ownership: 2020 Ambient (CD). Trifold digipak.

3/30/24 (review)

High Street (2010)

For Helmet of Gnats second album I wrote: "Their stock and trade is retro jazz rock / fusion, with Hammond B3 and electric guitar leading the way. Melody is front and center so this isn't a chops fest, just the way I prefer it. At times it sounds like Niacin with some spruced up psychedelic guitar leading the solo parade. That reads like a great combination to me! If your tastes in fusion run towards the early 70s side of the continuum then Timeslip will most certainly satisfy."

And that most certainly applies here too. The concept is about the band members' childhood home street. There is something special about that experience and connection with the past. I have a very good friend from my old neighborhood (lived right across the street) and we've been friends for well over 50 years. We both are blessed with excellent memory capability so we can each recreate moments going back to our earliest school days of the early 70s.

This connection comes through in the music of Helmet of Gnats. As for style, I'm reminded of what Mandrill said about their music: "We were too prog for funk, and too funk for prog". Replace funk with fusion and you could make that same argument here.

Ownership: 2010 Ambient (CD). Digipak

2010 (first listen); 9/26/23 (review)

Timeslip (2004)

Timeslip is Helmet of Gnats second album, eight years after their debut. Here their stock and trade is retro jazz rock / fusion, with Hammond B3 and electric guitar leading the way. Melody is front and center so this isn't a chops fest, just the way I prefer it. At times it sounds like Niacin with some spruced up psychedelic guitar leading the solo parade. That reads like a great combination to me! If your tastes in fusion run towards the early 70s side of the continuum then Timeslip will most certainly satisfy.

For years I thought the album was self-titled, or simply known as II. But if you look carefully at the bottom front, you'll see the words Time on top, and Slip on the bottom, intertwined. I thought it was just a symbol, like you'd see on a door design. Haha.

Ownership: 2004 Ambient (SACD). Tri-fold digipak. 

7//06 (first listen); 7/28/22 (review)

7/28/22 (new entry)