Helio Sequence: Saving A Throat, The Aftermath
Mar 21, 2008
Words by Jacob Henneman
Illustration by Amanda Acker
It was a great poet that once said "That That That That That don’t kill you, only makes you stronger." Okay, so that was actually Kanye West, but truer words rarely have been spoken. The duo comprising The Helio Sequence have first hand knowledge of this, and unlike Kanye, they didn’t have to take shit from Vince Gill at the Grammys to find out. The duo from the Pacific Northwest almost saw the death of lead singer Brandon Summers’ vocal chords due to extensive touring following their last album, and a pretty spectacular one in its own right, _Love and Distance_.
Fully recovered and energized, the first time Summers can show off his voice again, he immediately needs to get things off his chest. Cool and collected, he delivers the first of what will be an album full of interpersonal thoughts: "I’m living alone, I don’t need you anymore." That’s the first chorus of the first track from _Keep Your Distance_. And that’s about how long it takes for this album to capture you and suck you in to the warm, glowing cocoon of fuzzy atmospherics where you will stay for the remainder. Summers and Benjamin Weikel lay some lush electronic backdrops that serve as foundations, whirring in and out through the whole album making it not just a collection of 10 pop songs, but creating a sameness imploring you to listen to in its entirety. A decaf shoegaze, if you will. Over this foundation, sharp guitar lines slash in and out, crisp and clean electronics whistle though your skull and zig-zag until they fade out of sight out of mind, and sometimes, the songs are stripped down to a composition channeling Dylan (i.e. the poetic "Broken Afternoon"). But despite some stylistic changes, you are anchored in for the long haul.
Helio Sequence takes us wading through some pretty tumultuous emotional waters. Laments between needing and not needing someone can drown someone if they aren’t resolved. "Can’t Say No," "You Can Come to Me," "Shed Your Love," and Back To This" are the chronology of a tough relationship. And how did the Helio Sequence come out of all these ups and downs? Clean and safe on the opposite shore with a second voice, a beautifully crafted album, and the famous last, fittingly resilient words of the album: "When that sun sets I’ll have no regrets/I’ll walk out that door and I won’t shed a tear."
"Helio Sequence Official Site":http://www.theheliosequence.com
"Sub Pop Records":http://www.subpop.com
