{"id":45171,"date":"2026-05-06T12:15:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-06T16:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?p=45171"},"modified":"2026-04-04T07:48:20","modified_gmt":"2026-04-04T11:48:20","slug":"helicopter-leaves-finds-his-footing-on-the-gorgeous-heartfelt-sabrina-nickels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?p=45171","title":{"rendered":"Helicopter Leaves finds his footing on the gorgeous, heartfelt \u2018Sabrina Nickels\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>It&#8217;s a fallacy that we only &#8220;come of age&#8221; once. If you&#8217;re doing it right, those moments keep coming \u2014 when you leave a friend group that no longer fits, when you fall in love, when you follow your dreams instead of the safer path. Anthony Vaccaro, guitarist and co-songwriter for Chicago breakout rock band Beach Bunny, is smack in the middle of one of those moments with <em>Sabrina Nickels<\/em>, the new full-length from his solo project Helicopter Leaves, out now on Noyes Records.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This one&#8217;s a step up in every sense. Where his 2023 record &#8216;Get Stuck In&#8217; was a gloriously weird DIY suite tracked in his grandparents&#8217; basement, <em>Sabrina Nickels<\/em> was recorded at the legendary Electrical Audio (Steve Albini&#8217;s storied Chicago studio) and at the home studio of Sean O&#8217;Keefe \u2014 frequent Beach Bunny collaborator and the guy behind records by Fall Out Boy and Motion City Soundtrack. Vaccaro played every instrument himself, and the result is a dizzyingly gorgeous collection that ping-pongs between unrequited love, family memories, and the sometimes unbearable weight of just being alive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe style=\"border: 0; width: 100%; height: 120px;\" src=\"https:\/\/bandcamp.com\/EmbeddedPlayer\/album=2977028777\/size=large\/bgcol=ffffff\/linkcol=0687f5\/tracklist=false\/artwork=small\/transparent=true\/\" seamless><a href=\"https:\/\/helicopterleaves.bandcamp.com\/album\/sabrina-nickels\">Sabrina Nickels by Helicopter Leaves<\/a><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Named for Someone Who Mattered<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The album&#8217;s title cuts deep. <em>Sabrina Nickels<\/em> is named after a childhood family friend who transitioned later in life and died of cancer in recent years \u2014 someone who took a young Vaccaro to shows, listened to his songs, and gave him the kind of safe space he didn&#8217;t have elsewhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em>&#8220;She changed my life by taking me to shows as a child. I would confide in her and show her my songs. I wanted to title my record using her chosen name.&#8221;<\/em> \u2014 Anthony Vaccaro<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>That trust matters. Vaccaro was too afraid to play his songs for his parents growing up. Sabrina was his audience, his encouragement, his spiritual north star \u2014 and this record is the monument she deserves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Track by Track: Growing Up in Real Time<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The album opens with the deceptively bright, clap-along <em>It Really Never Did<\/em>, a song about growing out of old friendships and relationships and, somehow, being okay with that. &#8220;As I get older, especially in the creative world, I don&#8217;t have many people I grew up with in my life anymore,&#8221; Vaccaro says. &#8220;Everyone wants to get a normal desk job, and I&#8217;m somebody who has the ability and the privilege to be creative for a living. It&#8217;s hard.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>From there, <em>Feeling Nothing Is Worse<\/em> arrives as a sugary, teeth-gnashing banger about getting sober \u2014 kind of. <em>Sorry From Now On<\/em> shuffles in almost dragging its feet, a sonic portrait of Vaccaro&#8217;s overly apologetic nature. <em>Moreoff More Off Than On<\/em> is pure experimentation \u2014 a clattering ode to a weird turn of phrase he spotted in a book \u2014 while <em>Falling Water (Before You)<\/em> is inspired by his hatred of Frank Lloyd Wright and the way supposedly revolutionary inventions can age terribly. &#8220;<em>This new invention, you&#8217;ll experience in this time, in 50 years will be considered crap,<\/em>&#8221; he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>I Should Have Been Listening<\/em> is a lilting fairytale of a track that nearly didn&#8217;t make it out \u2014 an old friend had to push him to release it. <em>NUMBER GIRL<\/em> is the big, brash counterpoint, named after a beloved Japanese band that makes its own version of American rock. &#8220;<em>When Eastern culture tries to replicate Western culture and makes something new, better,<\/em>&#8221; Vaccaro says. The dreamy <em>Show Me All Your Landscape Paintings<\/em> pulls us back to childhood \u2014 to grandparents, safety, the particular comfort of a room full of paintings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then comes <em>Dreaming About Everyone But You<\/em>, a bittersweet dispatch from the land of situationships, followed by <em>What&#8217;s One More Place<\/em> \u2014 a song about a healthier relationship still full of its own honest tensions. And finally, <em>Self-Reliance<\/em> closes the record with an uncomfortable, clear-eyed look at the WWII-generation stoicism of his grandfather and what it means to shape your own future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Treble called the album <strong>&#8220;<em>earnest, bittersweet, but hopeful amid dreamy, albeit crunchy guitar rock anthems that nod to the likes of Dinosaur Jr. and Pavement.&#8221;<\/em><\/strong> Rosy Overdrive put it simply: <strong>&#8220;<em>Sabrina Nickels is a whirlwind.&#8221;<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Watch: What&#8217;s One More Place?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/N4lp-iiA074?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-CA&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>&#8220;<em>This one just fell right out of me naturally one summer afternoon. It references events people have told me about or I have personally experienced that I had written down in my phone. This song works with the feelings of sadness of not wanting to leave creature comforts of home behind even though you know that&#8217;s the only way to get anywhere in life.<\/em>&#8221; \u2014 Anthony Vaccaro on <em>What&#8217;s One More Place?<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Sabrina Nickels<\/em> is out now on Noyes Records.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>It&#8217;s a fallacy that we only &#8220;come of age&#8221; once. If you&#8217;re doing it right, those moments keep coming \u2014 when you leave a friend <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?p=45171\" title=\"Helicopter Leaves finds his footing on the gorgeous, heartfelt \u2018Sabrina Nickels\u2019\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":45172,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[22,23,28,29,30,1907],"tags":[13764,13774,13775,242,13771,1624,13763,13769,13290,727,13773,13767,3601,13772,13770,13768,13766],"class_list":["post-45171","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guitar-rock","category-indie","category-music","category-music-video","category-new-release","category-news","tag-anthony-vaccaro","tag-beach-bunny","tag-braeden-long","tag-chicago","tag-coming-of-age","tag-dinosaur-jr","tag-electrical-audio","tag-helicopter-leaves","tag-indie-pop","tag-lo-fi","tag-noyes-records","tag-number-girl","tag-pavement","tag-sabrina-nickels","tag-sean-okeefe","tag-twee","tag-whats-one-more-place"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/IMG_0419-e1775303134740.jpeg?fit=1072%2C520&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2B2TV-bKz","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":25856,"url":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?p=25856","url_meta":{"origin":45171,"position":0},"title":"Change Of Heart to reissue &#8216;Smile&#8217; on double LP","author":"cultureaddicts","date":"June 18, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Label Obscura has announced the upcoming reissue of Change Of Heart's seminal 1992 album 'Smile'. It will finally see its first release on vinyl, as a double LP on July 22, 2017. Originally released twenty-five years ago by Cargo Records, 'Smile' is a\u00a0twenty-one song album and a beautiful chunk of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;guitar rock&quot;","block_context":{"text":"guitar rock","link":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?cat=22"},"img":{"alt_text":"Change of Heart","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/COHPhoto.png?fit=718%2C538&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/COHPhoto.png?fit=718%2C538&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/COHPhoto.png?fit=718%2C538&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/COHPhoto.png?fit=718%2C538&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":23791,"url":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?p=23791","url_meta":{"origin":45171,"position":1},"title":"Eros and the Eschaton release video for &#8216;Helicopter&#8217;","author":"cultureaddicts","date":"October 23, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Eros and the Eschaton\u00a0has released\u00a0a video for the track Helicopter. Helicopter is featured on the Colorado quintet's sophomore album 'Weight Of Matter,' which arrived in August via\u00a0Bar\/None Records. You can watch the video clip\u00a0via YouTube below. https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=mgshUcl8gAA 'Weight of Matter'\u00a0is a Sonic Youth, guitar-inspired album, dialling in tones akin to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;indie&quot;","block_context":{"text":"indie","link":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"Eros and the Eschaton","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/7cfc25bc-c751-4b7c-8c7c-93582e5cfc4a.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/7cfc25bc-c751-4b7c-8c7c-93582e5cfc4a.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/7cfc25bc-c751-4b7c-8c7c-93582e5cfc4a.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/7cfc25bc-c751-4b7c-8c7c-93582e5cfc4a.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":38629,"url":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?p=38629","url_meta":{"origin":45171,"position":2},"title":"Beach Fossils announce new album \u2018Bunny\u2019","author":"cultureaddicts","date":"March 9, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Beach Fossils\u00a0will release\u00a0\u2018Bunny,\u2019 their first studio album since 2017, on\u00a0June 2nd\u00a0via Bayonet.\u00a0In conjunction with the announcement, they shared its lead single\/video,\u00a0Don\u2019t Fade Away.\u00a0Throughout the last fifteen years, Beach Fossils\u00a0have steadily earned their stature as one of the most definitive and enduring bands of the 2010s New York underground, consistently reaching\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;guitar rock&quot;","block_context":{"text":"guitar rock","link":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?cat=22"},"img":{"alt_text":"Beach Fossils press photo","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/9546742B-64A9-476E-97C3-AD849835E91B-e1678331026176.jpeg?fit=900%2C497&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/9546742B-64A9-476E-97C3-AD849835E91B-e1678331026176.jpeg?fit=900%2C497&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/9546742B-64A9-476E-97C3-AD849835E91B-e1678331026176.jpeg?fit=900%2C497&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/9546742B-64A9-476E-97C3-AD849835E91B-e1678331026176.jpeg?fit=900%2C497&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":37597,"url":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?p=37597","url_meta":{"origin":45171,"position":3},"title":"Shelf Lives release new single \u2018Mark Twain\u2019","author":"cultureaddicts","date":"November 27, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"South London duo\u00a0Shelf Lives\u00a0have announced their debut mini-album 'Yes, offence'\u00a0will be released in April 2022. The\u00a0announcement coincides with the release of new single Mark Twain, which arrives on\u00a0the back of\u00a0their\u00a0uncompromising self-titled debut single Shelf Life. Both tracks will appear on 'Yes, offence' next year. A two and a half minute\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;electronic music&quot;","block_context":{"text":"electronic music","link":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?cat=13"},"img":{"alt_text":"Shelf Lives press photo","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/9ABC0779-D54D-41D5-929A-23817510B9AE.jpeg?fit=1200%2C804&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/9ABC0779-D54D-41D5-929A-23817510B9AE.jpeg?fit=1200%2C804&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/9ABC0779-D54D-41D5-929A-23817510B9AE.jpeg?fit=1200%2C804&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/9ABC0779-D54D-41D5-929A-23817510B9AE.jpeg?fit=1200%2C804&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/9ABC0779-D54D-41D5-929A-23817510B9AE.jpeg?fit=1200%2C804&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":37943,"url":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?p=37943","url_meta":{"origin":45171,"position":4},"title":"Shelf Lives share new track \u2018I Don&#8217;t Think I&#8217;ll Go Out Today\u2019","author":"cultureaddicts","date":"April 4, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"South London duo\u00a0Shelf Lives\u00a0have shared a new track I Don't Think I'll Go Out Today along with a stop-motion animated video directed by\u00a0Ben Pollard. The new track is the final\u00a0taster of the band's\u00a0upcoming debut mini-album 'Yes, offence' out\u00a0April\u00a028 via\u00a0Not Sorry Mom Records. New track I Don't Think I'll Go Out\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;guitar rock&quot;","block_context":{"text":"guitar rock","link":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?cat=22"},"img":{"alt_text":"Shelf Lives press photo","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/DB718D2B-F055-43D9-9A52-4BD98673A9A8.jpeg?fit=1200%2C804&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/DB718D2B-F055-43D9-9A52-4BD98673A9A8.jpeg?fit=1200%2C804&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/DB718D2B-F055-43D9-9A52-4BD98673A9A8.jpeg?fit=1200%2C804&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/DB718D2B-F055-43D9-9A52-4BD98673A9A8.jpeg?fit=1200%2C804&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/DB718D2B-F055-43D9-9A52-4BD98673A9A8.jpeg?fit=1200%2C804&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":39490,"url":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?p=39490","url_meta":{"origin":45171,"position":5},"title":"Beach Fossils share new single\/video \u2018Seconds\u2019","author":"cultureaddicts","date":"June 3, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Beach Fossils share their new single + video, Seconds, lifted from their forthcoming album, \u2018Bunny,\u2019 out June 2nd via Bayonet. Seconds is a charming cut, balancing irresistible guitar lines with frontman Dustin Payseur\u2019s bittersweet lyrics: \u201cWhen you are here \/\/ Seconds are so clear \/\/ And it\u2019s all \/\/ fading\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;guitar rock&quot;","block_context":{"text":"guitar rock","link":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?cat=22"},"img":{"alt_text":"Beach Fossils press photo","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/367CA268-FFA8-4E52-9DA5-C907DD5EDEA9.jpeg?fit=900%2C597&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/367CA268-FFA8-4E52-9DA5-C907DD5EDEA9.jpeg?fit=900%2C597&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/367CA268-FFA8-4E52-9DA5-C907DD5EDEA9.jpeg?fit=900%2C597&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/367CA268-FFA8-4E52-9DA5-C907DD5EDEA9.jpeg?fit=900%2C597&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45171","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=45171"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45171\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":45174,"href":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45171\/revisions\/45174"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/45172"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=45171"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=45171"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=45171"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}