The Heavy Nostalgia of H

By Gabriel

Hot Water Music

ot Water Music is an old reliable choice and they were one of my favorite groups towards the end of high school through college. Not only do I consider them to be one of the most hard-working bands as many have declared, they also have the sand and heart that other bands lack through the longevity of a career. One of the most memorable live shows was their closing concert of MACRoCK in Harrisonburg, VA. It was one of few times that I actually participated with the crowd in screaming and singing along. It was definitely the most heated and emotional show I'd ever attended. Hot Water Music's work reminds me of friends that I had and lost, but whom I still miss. Memories and experiences with those friends are common themes through HWM's music so it's only natural that they represent such a great time of my life. As far as recommendations, seek every album up to No Division, my personal favorite. Afterward, they switched to Epitaph Records and I found that they lost the sound and intensity that made every record before so consistent, moving and most importantly, convincing.

(The) Helio Sequence

Helio Sequence is a recent preference. Their outstanding quality is that they are a Portland band (specifically Beaverton but everyone says Portland)—Portland once being my home for nearly four years. I think about Portland everyday. Sometimes I even long for it like the girl that got away but was meant to be with me (no offense to the wife). It's the best place I've ever been and there's no substitute. So, listening to Helio Sequence takes me back there in a superficial way. The music feels characteristic of the city and the area surrounding it. Songs on Love and Distance sound like they were meant to be heard while riding the bus on a great rainy day in the Pacific Northwest. I did just that a few times on my lunch breaks. My only regret is that I never saw them live in their hometown. Aside from that emotional reaction, Helio Sequence manages to gracefully blend synth and electronic elements with bare-bone structures of live drums and guitar. It's not industrial by any means and indie still doesn't quite match. They make unique and weird (Keep It Weird!) music—fuzzy, throbbing, stomping folk-pop "blomps," and strangely romantic. The first album, Com Plex, is less engaging but every work beyond it has found them confident in their identity and sound. Buy all three and visit Portland, Oregon promptly.