by Don Donofrio (donal.j.donofrio.iii@snet.net).
It should be noted that Twisted Helices is actually one Ram Samudrala, except for guitar on one track. Or, as recent events would dictate, Dr. Ram Samudrala. This is essentially a solo project as Ram certainly has his own ways of doing things. If you're tired of music that's geared to sound like whatever is currently in favor then this disc may be for you. Ram has a great respect for originality in music and this idealogy shines throughout this effort. Guitars, vocals, and keyboards are all electronically altered, or twisted, to form completely original sounds. After a couple listens these sounds really do start to grow on you, putting the entire effort into a whole new light. With 22 tracks there's certainly plenty of opportunities for something to catch hold in your mind, and something likely will. Even those who find that they really don't like so much experimentation would have to admit that this stuff is interesting at the very least. Those who do appreciate original sounds will love this effort. Ram's originality doesn't end with his production values but also extends to his marketing ideas. This disc can be ordered from the Twisted Helices Homepage at a very low price. Ram's ideas, formally known as "The Free Music Philosophy", can also be found on the T.H. link. He basically believes that distributing as many copies of his music as possible is more important than making a large profit. This idea originally led me to his music and I'd urge the rest of you to follow the same path. There's a lot to be said for originality, especially in the music business.