Works By Helen Caddick
Arrangements
Something Like You
Miles Apart
Time Machine
Her arranging projects have involved collaborations with the band Shack and Michael Head on the albums Time Machine released 2007; and now for the weather Tom released August 2003 as well as the critically acclaimed 1997 album The magical world of the Strands, released 1997, (rereleased 2015). Alongside producers Mark Coyle and Angeli Dutt, Helen has also arranged for the bands Smaller and Coast.
The World is an Orange
The World is an Orange is inspired by one of Caddick’s earliest memories – of when her Dad taught her about the planets and the solar system armed with a torch, a grapefruit and an orange. Caddick states: “It filled me with wonder and made me realise at a young age the enormity of the universe and our place within it. That sense of wonder has remained and I believe informs my approach to composing to this day.”
Soulless for Strings
Soulless for String Sextet performed at the Timezones festival in Italy, as part of the meltdown festival at the Royal Festival Hall and as part of Turner Contemporary’s Sound of Music Weekender event in May 2009.
Inflight
Directed by Ian Cross and Steven Marshall. Soundtrack by Helen Caddick.
With Photography by Maria Mochnacz, known for her collaborations with PJ Harvey.
Beguilingly beautiful silent imagery accompanied by strings and piano – is he leaving or returning to the ones he loves?
Nominated for award at Kunstmedia Internationale Festival.
Looped throughout the WiseWords festival, Canterbury 2016.
The film Inflight for which Helen wrote the soundtrack was selected for the 2016 Wisewords festival and looped throughout the festival. Directed by Ian Cross and Steven Marshall, it features photography by Maria Mochnacz.
String Arranging - reviews
The Magical World of the Strands by the Strands and Michael Head
All strings written, arranged and conducted by Helen Caddick
Among the standouts is ‘Something Like You’, three and three-quarter minutes of languorous grace and charm. The string section floats along around the melody, neither carrying the song nor acting as unnecessary ornamentation. - THE MAGICAL WORLD OF THE STRANDS - A GREAT LOST LIVERPOOL ALBUM. Steve Graves - The Anfield Wrap // 9 January 2012 //TAW
Try to listen to "Something Like You'" the album’s best track... a tune from heaven and the best string arrangement I’ve heard since the Massive’s 'Unfinished Sympathy'. On reflection, perhaps the key to this album’s lush, comforting ambience is the way that Helen Caddick’s orchestrations treat the string quartet as a lead instrument; maybe that’s what makes it so timeless. - Past archives – Shack
'The Magical World of the Strands' - (is) made up of “gorgeously illustrated songs … lushly orchestrated’ 'Something Like You', (is) so striking in (it’s) seductive, tenderness. The ghost of Drake is everywhere, floating in and hovering with the string section… outrageously large harmonic terrains. - Thom Jurek Allmusic review
Sympathetic strings graze 'Something Like You' as it passes, never distracting the melody or dominating the mood. (The Magical World of the Strands is) an instrumentally beautiful record, totally idiosyncratic, rightly titled magical - alluding to a fantasy world beyond reality, or of heightened reality. 'Something like you' (is) liquid, sleepy, and impressionistic. - megaupload.com + FANTASY blogspot
Here’s Tom with the Weather by Shack
All strings written, arranged and conducted by Helen Caddick
released 2003/re-released Dec 2023.
…the wistful "Miles Apart", bowls along on a near - 'Superfly' string score… this album will still be growing in beauty and stature years hence… Past archives - Shack
'Miles Apart', one of the handful of tracks written by John Head, contains a gorgeous string arrangement alongside achingly plaintive vocals. - Kate Lawrence: BBC Music review 2003
Time machine - Best of Shack curated by Noel Gallagher 2007
(the) strings give each of (Michael) Head's wry observations a swooning melancholy...
Betty Clarke - the Guardian 21/12/07
on 'Time Machine' 'The highlights are many...their evolution towards a more textured, orchestrated sound on 2003's 'Here's Tom with the Weather' is emphatically captured on'Meant to Be' which employs scintillating mariachi brass and string sections that would not be out of place on Love's timeless masterpiece 'Forever Changes'. - Chris White BBC Music Review 2007
Scores For Theatre
Hush 2005 by Samantha Wright. Directed by Donnacadh O’Briain.
Nominated for Fringe 1st at the Edinburgh Festival 2005 and performed at Arcola Theatre, Hackney
The Powder Room by Sharon Byrne; directed by Doc Watson performed at Luton Theatre.
Bouncers by John Godber. Dir. by Anna Coombs performed Eye Theatre, Suffolk
Shakers by John Godber. dir. by Anna Coombs performed Eye Theatre, Suffolk
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The Fall of the Lion by Greg Lawrence and Mick James. dir. by Anna Coombs, Drill Hall, London
Scores for theatre include Hush, directed by Donnacadh O’Briain performed at the Arcola theatre, Hackney 2005 - nominated for Fringe 1st at the Edinburgh Festival 2005; The Double Bass written & directed by Sean Hogan performed at Greenwich Playhouse Theatre; Joe for Hampstead theatre; Bouncers and Shakers by John Godber directed by Anna Coombs performed at the Eye Theatre, Suffolk; The Fall of the Lion by Greg Lawrence & Mick James directed by Anna Coombs performed at the Drill Hall, London; The Powder Room by Sharon Byrne directed by Doc Watson at Luton Theatre, London.
Scores For Film
memo dir. by Ian Cross for Channel 4 - inspired by Artificial Intelligence
Inflight dir. by Ian Cross & Steven Marshall - Nominated for award at
Kunstmedia Internationale Festival
The Haunting at No.24 dir. by Sean Hogan prod. by Navin Chowdhry 2005
Johnny Remember Me dir. by Ian Cross 2003
Brown dir. by Sean Hogan 2001
This Bastard Business dir. by Sean Hogan. Winner of Best Film + Best Audience award Bradford Film Festival 2000/Nominated at Portobello Film Festival 2000
Making a Difference dir. by Rosalind Pearson
The Red Thermos dir. by Molly Burnham
Film scores include memo directed by Ian Cross - as part of a series of films on Artificial Intelligence for Channel 4 - January 2001; Inflight directed by Ian Cross and Steven Marshall, featuring photography by Maria Mochnacz - Nominated for award at 1999 Kunstmedia Internationale Festival This Bastard Business, written by Navin Chowdhry, and directed by Sean Hogan - Winner of Best Film and Best Audience award at Bradford Film Festival 2000.
Pop
My Life Story writing, arranging, keys and vocals for Mornington Crescent 1995 + 4 eps string arranging for the bands smaller and coast for producers Mark Coyle + Angeli Dutt