Delivered from the indie label Sub Pop, comes a duo from Portland Oregon: Helio Sequence. The band is new to me, but have quite a history spanning back ten years. Recently, their history involves a near tragic derailment of the band. Brandon Summers, frontman, damaged his vocal chords and nearly lost his voice after touring in support of their last album. Having to relearn to sing, Summers and his counterpart Benjamin Weikel managed to create the brilliant album "Keep Your Eyes Ahead."
Listening to the album from the beginning gives you a good indication of what to expect. "Lately" is by no means a minimalistic song. The sound of guitar notes chasing each other with a drumbeat multiplying throughout the progression of the track. "Can't Say No" keeps the album on pace as it feels more aggressive and blends the echoes of the vocals magically.
A few tracks down "Shed Your Love" find its place in the middle of the album slowing it down appropriately like a roller coaster. Summer's voice is much more stripped on this track, exposing his calmness and composure.
Near the end of the album, my favorite track "Hallelujah" makes its appearance. Summers truly shows the depth of his songwriting on this track, with deep lyrics surrounding its simple chorus repeated throughout the song: "we all said hallelujah, we all said hallelujah."
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