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Helio Sequence’s 4th LP is a welcomed shift from their earlier records. Singer Brandon Summers apparently blew his voice out and had to re-learn how to sing, and it did wonders for the band’s overall sound (and you can clearly hear that his entire vocal approach has changed from 2004’s Love and Distance).

On Keep Your Eyes Ahead, this Portland duo creates 10 tracks of soothing indie-rock in the vein of new school Nada Surf, Rogue Wave, and yes, Modest Mouse (drummer and keyboardist Benjamin Weikel also played with MM circa Good News). This is a solid record all around, and one of my top picks for the year thus far.