...also dubbed the… Read Full Bio ↴Anne-Marie Helder is a singer songwriter from the UK.
...also dubbed the 'Little Red Rock Chick'.
Her sound is at once passionate, powerful, fragile and beautiful; her vocal range is unsurpassed, and her expressiveness commonly described as 'extraordinary'.
Her musical abilities were borne of a classical upbringing, & honed during her mispent youth touring the venues of Britain.
Helder's songwriting ranges from the intimate & personal, through social and observational, to the often breathtaking journeys into a timeless, boundless space, beyond life and yet totally connected within it.
Her questioning mind is evident throughout, and also in her past studies (she gained an honours degree in Philosophy from the University of Wales).
Most noted for her captivating live performances, she has toured extensively from 2004 onwards, across the UK and Europe, including supports for such legendary artists as:
FISH : Anne-Marie toured with the ex Marillion frontman & his band on the recent "Return to Childhood" tour, as official support....
MIDGE URE.....
GLENN TILBROOK (of SQUEEZE)......
LIMEHOUSE LIZZY.....
and many more.
After releasing her debut EP 'The Contact', Helder has been working hard on the Live Touring trail, both solo and with her new rock band PANIC ROOM ....and since 2008 also performs keys, guitars, flute and backing vocals with MOSTLY AUTUMN.
Most recently she has been touring intensively with both bands; and recorded an album with each in 2008.
*PANIC ROOM's debut album 'Visionary Position' was released in April 2008, and features Helder on lead vocals, as well as co-writing all of the album's tracks (with Jonathon Edwards).
*MOSTLY AUTUMN released their latest album 'Glass Shadows' in May 2008, and Anne-Marie features on harmony vocals and flute.
See www.mostly-autumn.com[/official site]
Helder has been intending to release her first full-length Solo album ever since the release of 'The Contact', but heavy touring schedules have delayed this; she has, however, been prolific in both her recording and performance work since 2004.
Other albums featuring AMH include:
*'Scarlet' by Dave Kilminster.... The acclaimed lead guitarist and member of Roger Waters' current band, Kilminster released this stunning album in 2007 and Anne-Marie added her own unique guest vocals.
*'Communion' by FISH.... After her regular tour-support with the famous Scot, Helder added Floyd-esque backing vocals to this 2006 Live Acoustic album, joined by Heather Findlay and Angela Gordon (of Mostly Autumn).
But ~
Helder hopes to respond very soon, to the intense demand she has had from fans and the media, by releasing her long-awaited AMH Solo Album in 2009.
Anticipation is great for this next offering.
Whereas 'The Contact' was all-acoustic (except for some looping percussion tracks, and string parts all written & arranged by Helder), her follow-up release is expected to be a vastly dynamic affair; backed by a band for many tracks, and thus capable of producing the bigger sound which she wants for some of her material, while still keeping the delicate intimacy on those songs which need it.
The album will, she says, hopefully sweep through the full spectrum of dynamics and emotions, and express even more of her personality and soul as a writer.
Helder's impact on the musical scene has been powerful and deep; she has already garnered comparisons to many of the true greats, with her vocal abilities, unique sound, & songwriting.
These have included: Kate Bush, Jeff Buckley, Carole King, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Alanis Morissette, Led Zeppelin, Jewel, Imogen Heap.... and more
And yet ultimately, hers is a voice all of its own; unique and visionary, which is unfailingly described as 'stunning'.
~~~~~~*~~~~~~
N.B. Some fans will have come to the music of Anne-Marie Helder, and her band Panic Room, through the former band KARNATAKA ~ an award-winning Welsh rock band who flourished on the UK and international scene until their split in 2004; Helder and 3 other members of the band PANIC ROOM used to be in Karnataka.
(Karnataka were 'reformed' in 2006 by one other founding member, Ian Jones; but no other original member continues in that line-up. He tours & records with the 'New' Karnataka to the present day. (See links))
Exodus
Anne-Marie Helder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As the sun started to smile
And the lovers played their games
I want you...
To be happy
You have so much to give
The Eastern sky holds its promise
And the little things you do
Remind me...
I CAN'T FUNCTION WITHOUT YOU, NO...
I CAN'T FUNCTION AT ALL
And the little things you say
And the little things you do
Remind me
~
Always seems the right time...
But are your reasons good enough?
'Cos the river flows surely to the Ocean
And the little things you say,
And the little things you do
Remind me...
I CAN'T FUNCTION WITHOUT YOU, NO...
I CAN'T FUNCTION AT ALL
I CAN'T FUNCTION WITHOUT YOU, MY LOVE
I CAN'T FUNCTION AT ALL
And the little things you say,
And the little things you do
And the colours that we made
And the memories we played
Remind me...
Remind me...
Remind me...
The lyrics to Anne-Marie Helder's "Exodus" tell the story of a person who is leaving someone they love behind, but they don't want to go. The person acknowledges that the other has much to give and wants them to be happy. However, they cannot function without their love and the little things they say and do remind them of their affection. The lyrics are filled with emotion and are a powerful expression of how love can affect someone's decision-making - in this instance, making it challenging to say goodbye even when it's the right thing to do.
The lines "And the little things you say, and the little things you do" show how it's the details of the love relationship that mean the most. The Eastern sky is used as a metaphor for the future and the promises it holds, but the person leaving is unable to move on without their love. The repetition of "I CAN'T FUNCTION WITHOUT YOU, NO...I CAN'T FUNCTION AT ALL" highlights how losing the love would make it impossible for the person to carry out everyday activities. The line "And the colours that we made, and the memories we played" emphasizes the importance of nostalgia and memories shared by the couple.
Line by Line Meaning
Didn't want to leave in the summer
As the sun started to smile
And the lovers played their games
I would have preferred to stay with you in the warmth of summer, when everything is alive and the world is at its most lively, watching others in love.
I want you...
To be happy
You have so much to give
The Eastern sky holds its promise
But the little things you say,
And the little things you do
Remind me...
I want you to find happiness, even if you have to travel far to do so, because your talent and worth should not go unnoticed. Still, even with distance between us, the things you do and say still resonate with me.
I CAN'T FUNCTION WITHOUT YOU, NO...
I CAN'T FUNCTION AT ALL
I am so dependent on you that my life falls apart without you, unable to operate or move forward in any meaningful way.
Always seems the right time...
But are your reasons good enough?
'Cos the river flows surely to the Ocean
And the little things you say,
And the little things you do
Remind me...
Parting ways never feels like the right time, but it's important to challenge the reasoning behind our choices. Just as surely as a river flows to the ocean, the little things you do and say stay with me and tug at my heartstrings.
I CAN'T FUNCTION WITHOUT YOU, NO...
I CAN'T FUNCTION AT ALL
I CAN'T FUNCTION WITHOUT YOU, MY LOVE
I CAN'T FUNCTION AT ALL
Once again, I emphasize how crucial you are to my well-being, and how my life basically falls apart without you by my side.
And the little things you say,
And the little things you do
And the colours that we made
And the memories we played
Remind me...
Remind me...
Remind me...
As I reflect on our time together and the life we've built, all the small details come flooding back and fill me with bittersweet longing and remembrance of what we had. They remain vivid in my mind and continue to affect me to this day.
Contributed by Molly N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.