Metal Mountains

Led by songwriter Helen Rush, Metal Mountains was an outgrowth of Tower Recordings, the seminal Vermont-based experimental folk collective that operated beginning in the mid-'90s in the extended New England (and national) folk scenes that shared members with bands such as Jackie-O Motherfucker and others. When the band split in the early 2000s, its members continued to release music under an increasingly wide array of banners. Leader Matt "MV" Valentine became hyper-prolific with his MV & EE project with Erika Elder, but guitarist/bassist/percussionist/keyboardist Helen Rush took some time in establishing herself as a solo artist. When she did, first assembling Metal Mountains in 2007, it was still very much a band, despite being centered around Rush's quiet, ethereal songs. The band featured a pair of Rush's Tower Recordings collaborators, including Pat "PG6" Gubler and violinist Samara Lubelski. Rush took her time bringing Metal Mountains into the studio as well, finally releasing a self-titled debut in 2010, recorded at Sonic Youth's Echo Canyon. ~ Jesse Jarnow