Customer Reviews

Keep Your Eyes Ahead [Vinyl]

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Indie rock fans will be missing out if they think they're too cool for The Helio Sequence's latest "Keep Your Eyes Ahead." And Helio Sequence fan boys (or girls) may be dissapointed if they expect another My Bloody Valentine and Beatles sound mix (search Young Effectuals if you miss Kevin Shields). The fact is that this Portland, OR duo is going to keep putting out original music, and the more they innovate, the better they get. I haven't heard an album that blends the elements of electronic so well with organic six string strumming. "Shed Your Love" on this album exemplifies this perfectly. The most catchy tracks on this album would have to be "Can't Say No" and "Keep Your Eyes" ahead. There's a degree of enlightened honesty to the lyrics of "Can't Say No" that begs people to start paying attention to the world around them. Are you indoctrinated by your country? Are you an indie rocker that's a slave to what's hip? The Helio Sequence asks you to think in the abstract and evaluate yourself. If you're daring enough to take this trip and love good music, buy this album. You won't regret it.

Wow I am really liking this new Helio Sequence album. They have kept it fresh by innovating some new sounds (unlike some bands that apply their formula and repeat).

One thing remains constant; the beats are wicked--I love the drummer's style and chops. (I also like the way he moves his head live--reminds me of Animal--but that's another story.)

The album starts out meloncholy and melodic with Lately--which slowly builds up towards the end. Next, Can't Say No is up beat and catchy. The rythym of the drums matched by some tight lyrics--this one could be a hit. The Captive Mind is the next track--still has a driving beat but is more introspective. You Can Come To Me starts out with some signature beeps and bleeps and blends in some slick acoustic guitar with less dominating beats.

Shed Your Love is acoustic, soft, devoid of drums. A lullaby.

Keep Your Eyes Ahead brings back the upbeat drums but adds a really beautiful guitar feel which reminds me of--I don't know--The Chameleons UK, the Cure, Joy Division, Pink Floyd and a dash of Coldplay. I have no idea really.

I could continue yapping about each tracks--but the point is that this is a very solid album--possibly their best work yet.

From start to finish, this is Helio Sequence's best album. Young Effectuals is a close second, but it's too hit and miss when compared with this album, which only gets better and better both song-by-song and listen-by-listen.

The band delves into many different styles (electronic tinged pop, acoustic melancholy, shoegaze, shambling country blues) while always retaining its signature sound. The highlights are Lately, The Captive Mind, You Can Come to Me, Keep Your Eyes Ahead and Hallelujah on the upbeat pop side of things and Shed Your Love, Back To This, Broken Afternoon and No Regrets on the softer, more melancholic side of things.

Back to This hearkens to Young Effectuals with subtle and heartbreaking effects that drift underneath the main melodic parts. Shed Your Love goes without drums, but it doesn't need them. The barely-audible sonic flourishes might even make the song.

In addition to the music, the lyrics are outstanding (On a subway train before the dawn/the ride was short but my thoughts were long from Shed Your Love, or, Sometimes you feel so lonely haunted and stark/waving in the wind like a flag that's torn apart from Broken Afternoon).

Simply put, the Helio Sequence has crafted another perfect album, musically, lyrically, emotionally and thematically. Alll the critics that peed their pants after Love and Distance are going to have to get on Ritalin to settle their minds after this one.

I am one of those Helio Sequence fans that gained interest after hearing their third album, Love and Distance. It was their first Sub Pop album, and for that reason, the most accessible. I was aware that each successive album was a considerable change, but the leap from Love and Distance to Keep Your Eyes Ahead is rather large. I think Electronica is a staple of the band, and it seems as though it's been toned down a bit. There are still the blips and boops that one would expect ("You Can Come To Me"). At times, they sound downright Dylan-esque ("Shed Your Love", "Broken Afternoon"). It's a no-filler album that is perfectly paced, although a tad short.

Elitist fans who think a band shouldn't "fix what ain't broke" might shy away or hold back praise. But a band is allowed to change, and I feel as though they have found a more mature sound.

I love it.

I had been anticipating the release of this album. I discovered the guys a while back and was anxious to see what else the guys could put together, because their previous music blew me away. But this album DELIVERS. Seems the guys sound is a bit different than previous albums - the songs seems a little bit more into the folk category- but the electronic sound is still there and Summers voice still sounds incredible despite losing his voice for nearly 2 months. I say if you're a fan of the guys, you'll love the growth. This is such an awesome band that stays true to themselves despite an ever-increasing-commercialized industry. Buy it!!!

It's amazing what losing your voice will do for a singer. Brandon Summers' efforts relearning how to sing paid off, and how. His voice is achingly beautiful. And these songs had me listening again and again.

Throw away your genres (are they indie? rock? folk?) and listen, cuz these guys are it...

If you are a music freak like myself, then you know how hard it is to find new music. I go through music so fast that I sometimes find myself hungry for something new just days later. The Helio Sequence I discovered while surfing through Amazon's 'customers who bought this also bought' section. I listened to 'Keep Your Eyes Ahead' on the sampler and was shocked. The songs were instantly listenable. That is rare in music. I ordered it immediately. I devoured those 10 songs. I left the cd in my car stereo for nearly 6 months! I never do that. This album has a sound and a style that is infectious. The catchy rhythms and thought provoking lyrics still keep me going. I looked the band up recently and discovered that this music is coming from just two people! Wow. I was shocked again. Then I did some more digging, watching videos on youtube and going to there websites, FB etc. It is now a year later, and that cd has recently found itself back into the player of my car (2 months now) and their music is in every mp3 player/ipod I own. My only step now is to see them live. If only they would come to Knoxville, TN! If only they would put out another batch of songs! This is a must have album!




















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When I first played this CD, I was extatic as the song "Lately" is amongst the beautiful songs that were produced in 2008. While the rest of the album is melodic and quite enjoyable overall, nothing comes close to matching the catchiness and the excellent singing and playing on the first track. So I would recommend you download the song only, but then you might miss some more extended pleasant listening.

I saw these guys open for keane at Montclair's Wellmont. man! what a pleasant surprise. the drummer is simply awesome. he looks weird on stage but i really appreciated his effort and frenetic drumming. i have not seen or heard such complex rhythms. he was definitely better than the other drummers that night (in matt kearny's band and richard from keane). listening to this cd, the production doesn't do him justice. i agree with other reviews that the music/sound on this cd seems muted or subdued compared to hearing them perform live. the singer, mr. summers, has a calmer stage presence and his voice grows on me. compared to their older stuff, this cd is more melodic, pop-like, hummable/singable. i happened to not like their older stuff as much but this cd is a true gem. if you like these guys but have never seen them live, do yourself a favor and go check out a show. they're touring all over and you just have to check out their myspace page to find out.

Drumming Mastery. Keep Your Eyes Ahead is just amazing. And when he performs it live it has to be with the computer!!! Just awesome!