Old folk songs about the government, punk rock kids. Suburbia.
Priscilla Ahn. Capgun Coup. Bob Dylan. The Felice Brothers. Jacob Golden. Woody Guthrie. Ryan Harvey. Tim Kasher. John Lennon. Jenny Lewis. Conor Oberst. Phil Ochs. The Sex Pistols. Paul Simon. Elliott Smith. Sufjan Stevens. Maria Taylor. Tilly and the Wall. Two Gallants.
Sounds Like
Bedroom prophecies, handwritten.
But if you'd like a better idea, my CD "These Fifteen Years" is available and free for a limited time (until I run out of money to make and ship them).
Old vinyls etched with the sounds of Bob Dylan and the Beatles made me want to write music. Spend An Evening With Saddle Creek made me believe that I could do it. Dylan, Lennon, and later Conor Oberst taught me how to pen songs, and Maria Taylor and Jenny Lewis taught me how to sing them.
I'm 17. I live in the small town of Hamburg and find it both terribly frustrating and highly inspiring at the same time. For the past four years I have been writing songs in my room when I can't sleep or in study halls when I need a distraction. Now I want you to hear them.
She's the biggest musical sensation of Hamburg, and her guitar doesn't even have a pickup. Currently a junior at Hamburg High School, Helen Gassmann is incredibly prolific, having penned more than 100 compositions since she first received her guitar at the age of 12...
Gassmann describes her music as "bedroom prophesies written by a 16-year-old girl," but a quick listen will reveal that her songs are written with a maturity and artistry that are well beyond her years. Otherwise, she couldn't be more accurate: her songs are remarkably honest and personal portraits of suburbia. But unlike most music written of the same subject, hers is in no way trite, wishy-washy, or over-romanticized. Hearing her music is as powerful and intimate as it would be to have her standing straight across from you. It's like sitting down for a long talk with your best friend and listening to them spill their guts out - Gassmann just does it in a way that you can sing along to...
-Nicole Guldin, Voices, 2009
thanks! =) yeah he does free pressing, you don't have to pay him anything unless you want to..so yeah, he'll give you the choice of joining the label or just having him do a release, it's up to you! either way it gets him more publicity..and all the bands on the label are great. i thought of you when i heard the folk stuff on it which is why i passed it along :-)
Helen! we just started working with a label that releases folk stuff as well as punk rock stuff called Just Plain Awful Records, check em out at www.myspace.com/justplainawfulrecords or just go to our top friends, they're number 2. maybe you can do a release with him or something. let him know we referred you.
member that one time once you said that you made a cookie shaped like manitoba? for some reason that completely disappeared from my conscience and i forgot to reply. baking is wonderful. not very good at it, but yesterday i tried making cinnamon maple pumpkin seeds. and i think they turned out okay.
i'm so happy that you like my music, and i enjoy yours also very much, i hope you come to manitoba some time and we can play a show.
Well, I am pleased to be added to that list. Can't say that I have any "abroad" friends, so I am happy to tell you that you are the first on that list, haha. 40 hours? Holy. I can't even image. That's an intense road trip! Strangely enough I would totally be down for the drive. Just as long as I had the right people in tow, as well as the right music. Hmm... I wouldn't be able to tell you for sure if Albertans have an accent. I want to say no? However, I went to Nova Scotia this past summer and they definitely have an accent but East coast people usually have an accent... So.... maybe we do? haha
Do Pennsylvanians have accent? Is that even what you guys call yourselves? Geeze, I'm so uncultured. haha
Listened to Wet Cement. This song is shot through and through with teenage angst. Don't worry though cause I have a case of adult angst. Thanks for the friend posting. Dan/TheWorkers
Why hello Helen Gassmann! Well I'm glad to have made your day. Oh It's definitely something scientific- it's something in the water up here I'm sure.
I thought I'd add your Myspace because I think you're SUPER talented. It's crazy to think that you're only one year younger then I am and so accomplished. Kudos. I would have never have heard about you if it wasn't for Free Shots on Nic- all close personal friends of mine, as well as Heather Shepherd-- also a friend. I borrowed your cd from Heather last week and added your songs to my iPod and listen to you everyday. haha.
Hey Helen, We haven't chatted in quite sometime. We just recently played a show in Slave Lake, Alberta and on the way up we were listening to your e.p. It got me wondering how you were doing. I wish that you could have been there with us. It was quite amazing to say the least. Anyways, just had some free time to see how you are doing and what you have been up too. Love your dear friend, Nic Mac
Uh, lately it's been a lot of Matt Butcher, David Bowie, Hendrix, Sublime, Gregory and the Hawk, Johnny Hobo and the Freight Trains, Mad Caddies, Distillers & Spinnerettes. I like a diverse selection. ;) How about you?
Hey whats up? have you checked out or new songs yet? we also have a new CD available on our myspace you can download the cd, single songs, or even ringtoness let us know what you think -Brandon TTC
![Shane Palko! [music]](http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/58/s_46f7a8c9f90b45548ad924cbed96c07c.jpg)
Can't say that I have any "abroad" friends, so I am happy to tell you that you are the first on that list, haha. 40 hours? Holy. I can't even image. That's an intense road trip! Strangely enough I would totally be down for the drive. Just as long as I had the right people in tow, as well as the right music. Hmm... I wouldn't be able to tell you for sure if Albertans have an accent. I want to say no? However, I went to Nova Scotia this past summer and they definitely have an accent but East coast people usually have an accent... So.... maybe we do? haha 
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