Helio Sequence: Keep Your Eyes Ahead
The last we heard from Oregon-based Helio Sequence was 2004’s Long and Distance, an effort loaded with beeps and bops that was somewhat lost in the sample-crazed, Postal Service-fueled phase that resulted in many overlooked albums. To me, it was a solid release that not only played well in the studio, but carried through in the group’s live set. This was made all the more impressive considering their encompassing sound was produced by just two guys.
What took them so long to record this year’s follow-up, Keep Your Eyes Ahead? While touring in support of the last record, Brandon Summers shredded his vocal chords and was forced to spend time learning how to sing again. Fortunately for the group, the break paid off, and despite this album being a big departure for them, it largely works.
Gone are the samples (though they occasionally do appear almost in a nod to the past), and in their place are a full-range of shimmering guitars and layered keyboards, all drenched in a heavy dose of reverb. The result is a mix of shoe-gazer pop and downbeat folk that recalls several of my Britpop favs, including Badly Drawn Boy and South. All-in-all, a worthy effort.