The Helio Sequence: Keep Your Eyes Ahead

Keep Your Eyes Ahead, the fourth album by

Portland duo The Helio Sequence, offers a window to an alternate universe in

which Fleetwood Mac pop-savant Lindsey Buckingham records maximized indie-rock

for Sub Pop. It's a lot of sound for two guys (singer-guitarist Brandon Summers

and drummer Benjamin Weikel), suggesting that every minute since 2004's Love

And Distance

was utilized to perfect the pair's already steady hand at soaring, addictive

melodies, pleasant layers of guitar and keyboards, and clean, visceral

drumming. The opener "Lately" is a mournful break-up ballad bolstered with

Mercury Rev-ish broad strokes, while "The Captive Mind" recalls the best '80s synth-pop

(alternating among Peter Gabriel, The English Beat, and Julian Lennon) without

using the influence as a crutch.