![]() ![]() The Helio Sequence’s fourth album, Keep Your Eyes Ahead, is impressive in so many more ways than a listener without background knowledge of the band would even begin to comprehend. ![]() As he recalls, “Going into 2005 I actually had to think, ‘If I lose my voice, what will I do?'” Eventually though, it got to a point where he could not carry on. At one point, he resisted talking during daylight to save his vocal energy for gigs at night. Alongside the likes of Modest Mouse, Blonde Redhead, and Kings of Leon, The Helio Sequence chugged on as Summers’ vocal chords grew weaker and weaker as he attempted to wash the pain away with songwriting and whiskey. The beginnings of Summers’ vocal difficulties can be traced back to a lengthy six month stretch of shows after the release of Love and Distance. Jumping to such a prominent label meant an onslaught of back-to-back shows along with other media obligations, eventually taking its toll on Summers both vocally and mentally. About a year earlier, the duo had signed with the prestigious Sub Pop label, releasing their third album (and Sub Pop debut), Love and Distance, a few months later. After all, after nearly a decade of playing together, Summers and best friend/keyboardist/drummer Benjamin Weikel had finally hit the big time. As half of the Oregon-based duo, The Helio Sequence, he retrospectively knew that the precautions would be necessary. Though Brandon Summers will always have his skills as a guitarist to fall back on, one can only imagine how he felt when a doctor informed him in 2005 that he would lose his voice if he did not take an immediate break from singing. Moody shifts, doo-wop-infused anthems, and total clarity and cohesion marked this session as one of the best of 2008.Taking a voice away from a vocalist is like taking away a pen from a writer, a brush from a painter, and the means necessary to express genuine ideals from any type of artist. ![]() It sent chills down my spine to hear that kind of passion on the radio. Almost a "Man, this is fun!" kind of look. While sitting in on the session, I was able to catch all the subtle moments, like the two of them exchanging a few smiles during the performance. You can hear that focus and cohesiveness in the recording, but watching The Helio Sequence live, you could really see these two as tight, talented musicians. The two best friends had been working on the album for some time, and overcame serious issues (like Brandon Summers' damaged vocal cords and the temptation for Benjamin Weikel to shift over to the Modest Mouse camp). Luckily, the session was exactly what I'd hoped for and more. The anticipation was heightened even more by the fact that the record was being released the day the duo was in our studio. Every day, I would play Keep Your Eyes Ahead and tell anyone and everyone that it was the best thing to come out so far in 2008. But listening to The Helio Sequence's new record, Keep Your Eyes Ahead, you have to wonder how the duo will pull it off live - let alone in a small space, early in the morning, with this kind of setup.īefore the performance, I had been counting the hours until the band was to play. A full band also seems like a no-brainer. It's different when there's one musician with a guitar - that seems easy to pull off. Seeing such a bare-bones set-up, it's easy to get a little nervous about what that's going to mean for a studio session. ![]()
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