Usually when we describe an artist as a “bad ass break-out”, it’s only referring to their music, but in the case of Helena Kletch, the artist is a true bad ass. Kletch is a recent leukemia survivor, and her painful battle against the cancer put her music career on hold for over three years. With a bone marrow transplant from her sister, she’s made a recovery from the cancer, but is still dealing with Dysautonomia, a disorder that disrupts the autonomic nervous system. Despite all of this, Kletch is returning to focusing on music.
Kletch’s sound is folk/acoustic based, allowing her lyrics and melodies to shine through. Gentle tracks like “Castaway” sway over gentle chords and piano accompaniment, with Kletch’s bluesy vocal stylings laying down a stirring emotional resonance over the track. “Folk Sound” has a brighter pop sound, with a nostalgic bent (“Falling in loves not clean. Are you getting bruised up, running out of luck?”). The percussion adds a rock base to the song, while gorgeous harmonizing on the chorus begs for some radio attention.
While a title like “Walrus Song” might sound funny, there’s nothing funny about this delicate chamber folk number. In the vein of Lucius, the song is just vocals and gentle acoustics (with a dash of keys). The thoughtful lyrics leave an impact, especially as Kletch asks “are you afraid?”, it cuts to the core. “Note Written in the Kitchen” pleas with desperation and pain, thanks to Kletch’s vocal performance. It’s a painfully heartbreaking track.
Helena Kletch is a survivor and a great songwriter. Become familiar with her in our Bad Ass Break-Outs Playlist!
The Indy Review 