After Helio Sequence had toured through the United States and Europe in 2004 with Modest Mouse, Blonde Redhead, Kings of Leon and Secret Machines the duo of Brandon Summers and Benjamin Weikel was at a crossroads. According to Helio Sequence’s record company bio, Brandon’s vocal chords were completely shot. At one point, his doctor ordered him to stop singing for nearly two months. Summers recalls, “I really hit the wall, going into 2005 I actually had to think, ‘If I lose my voice, what will I do?”


After that scare, Summers developed a new devotion to his craft, and the band eventually produced Keep Your Eyes Ahead. The Helio Sequence’s fourth album finds the duo blending rock, pop and folk. Summers says he read Bob Dylan’s Chronicles during his months of forced silence. Folk influenced ballads like “Broken Afternoon” and “Shed Your Love” have Dylan’s imprint. Both songs rely on the power and simplicity pf the songwriting to grab the listener’s attention, rather than layered instrumentation. “Shed Your Love” is lead by a simple guitar. “Broken Afternoon” is an ode to the human condition.
helio sequence.jpgClearly, all of the emotional turmoil that Brandon Summers went through over the past couple of years was put to good use on Keep Your Eyes Ahead. The explosive emotion of “Lately” is hard not to experience. Whether it’s the dreamy delivery or the pop accompaniment, it’s obvious that what’s being said isn’t what’s being felt. Lately I don’t think of you at all, wonder what you’re up to, or how you’re getting on.” In reality, our storyteller is all too aware that he can’t stop holding on to the dream that the relationship will somehow work out.
“Can’t Say No” questions the truth of the written word. Driven by heavy guitars, the song ponders if we are all being forced to “live well, but die fast.” In a world driven by so much consumerism it seems fair to wonder if it’s healthy for our kids to be awash in “download brainwaves.” The genuine melody that The Helio Sequence has been able to apply to a song dealing with such weighty matters is a revelation. The duo has mixed keyboards, drums and guitars to create a wondrous pop sound. “Hallelujah” stands as yet another example of how disconnected rhythms can be brought together to create the perfect sound. Reverb never sounded so beautiful, so right.
“No Regrets” has an unmistakably Dylanesque harmonica, but is noticeably different from any of the other tracks on Keep Your Eyes Ahead. The sound can only be described as a sonic boom of everything–guitars, keyboards and a messy melody–somehow appropriate for an album laden in so much emotion.
Perhaps because of the damage to his throat, Brandon Summers no longer yelps and pushes his vocal chords to the outer limits. Instead, he seems to be focused on using his voice to lend more melody, tone and rhythm to his music. Summers new found dedication to his craft shines through and Keep Your Eyes Ahead is The Helio Sequence’s strongest album to date.