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Showing posts with label Headlights. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Headlights. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
Today's Twitter Updates (1/5/10)
Monday, December 29, 2008
The Top 31 Albums of 2008 (Pt. 2)
#20: Ladytron: Velocifiero - For all the praise poured on Ladytron over the years, it wasn’t until Velocifero that I really think I figured out what the band was all about. Does that mean I absolutely adore it and listen to it a few times a week? Hardly. But for once, I can say that Ladytron is enjoyable if you’re in the right mood. That mood doesn’t come around too often, but every now and then you just want some thick, wet....synths. What? What did you think I would say?
#19: Headlights: Some Racing, Some Stopping - Headlights’ debut album was a masterpiece of indie rock with some really catchy and meaningful songs. In 2006, it easily made it into my Top 10. This year, the band tried something different, which is always appreciated. They took off a bit of the polish, focused in more on a particular sound, and took Erin Fein off of lead vocals quite often. The result is a satisfying album that is just barely outdone by its predecessor.
#18: Dieter Schoon: Lablaza - If there’s one album in the Top 20 that absolutely no one has ever heard, it’s probably this one. Do yourself a favor and download “The Harbour’s Cold” or “Jethead” and find out what you’re missing. Lablaza is a inventive vision of electronic music that deserves to be heard outside of the artist’s native Sweden.
#17: Crystal Castles: Crystal Castles - I should make myself absolutely clear when I say that Alice Glass is an absolutely worthless piece of garbage. Well, her vocals at least. For as brilliant as Crystal Castles’ debut is, there are just moments when she comes in and ruins everything with her whiny screams. Fortunately, tracks are more than skippable, and if you do yourself the favor of not loading those songs on your iPod you’ll find that the rest of this album is absolutely amazing. This coming from a guy who up until about a year ago swore off of most types of electronic music.
#16: Sia: Some People Have Real Problems - Sia’s third LP is easily her best, and fortunately, her most commercially successful. Throwing away much of the melancholy from her past albums, Sia returned with a triumphant, exuberant record that displays the full talent of her voice and, in my book, clears her a spot right up towards the top of the greatest vocalists of all time. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, if only on the inside, and you’ll keep listening to it for months. Just an awesome album.
#15: My Morning Jacket: Evil Urges - Note to Jim James: lose the falsetto, it doesn’t work. Honestly, MMJ’s frontman’ s vocals were sketchy enough as it was, but the Prince impression is severely lacking. The best moment’s from Evil Urges were reserved for when the band was doing what they always do; play great, southern-tinged rock music.
#14: The Notwist: The Devil, You + Me - In my review for this album I stated that it doesn’t necessarily succeed expectations as much as it does defy them. I’ll stick to my guns on that one, for as much as The Devil falls short of the band’s 2002 masterpiece Neon Golden, it is still an amazing album that I think most were not expecting. The band’s addition of strings and prominent guitars make for an interesting if not entrancing listen.
#13: Fleet Foxes: Fleet Foxes - If there were one reason why you should read this list, it’s for this: Fleet Foxes is not #1. Take a deep breath. Get it all in there because you won’t see that often in 2008. Now I loves me some Fleet Foxes, that’s why they beat out some of my favorite bands to make it this far on the list, but their debut is not the perfect album that many are making it out to be. It is focused, moody, it makes you feel like taking a trip to Appalachia, but as far as bringing out emotion, action, thoughts out of the listener, there are others that just did it better this year. They are as follows....
#12: The Streets: Everything is Borrowed - Sometimes music critics just sort of blow my mind. For they most part, they had nothing but praise for Mike Skinner’s first two LPs and nothing but disdain for his last two. I’ll go ahead and advocate the opposite, because to me, the artist has finally come into his own. He’s finally making songs that are more universal, more catchy, could actually be considered hip hop. Everything is Borrowed is far from perfect, and it may not be as emotionally gripping as his past albums, but to call it a dud would just be an injustice.
#11: Portishead: Third - The only album I rated with a 9 this year that fell out of the top 10, Portishead’s comeback album still deserves a hell of a lot of credit. Were I a depressed college kid, this album would have easily been closer to the top of my list. But 2008 was a good year for me, and I found myself happier than I’ve been in quite a few years. As such, it doesn’t seem right for me to move this album higher when I just couldn’t devote myself to the doom and gloom that it bleeds. Still, if you find yourself with black hair, black clothes, and a razor blade fantasy, check it out. At least you won’t be 100% stereotypical.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
The Top 31 Songs of 2008
In years' past, I have made it a point to post my songs and albums together in one long, tedious, and confusing list. This year, I've simplified the process just a little bit. Don't get cocky, I did it mostly for myself - but you can still be grateful. Below you'll find my Top 31 Songs of 2008 in one glorious list. I've even sprinkled it with some commentary because, well, this is a blog after all. Enjoy the list and be sure to tell me what your #1 (or Top 5 or 31) are.
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#31: "Got Your Number" by Nadia Oh - It should be known that I fully understand that Nadia Oh is without an ounce of verifiable talent. It should also be known that I'm a sucker for good production and a catchy tune. And my standards have dropped significantly this year. Obviously.
#30: "The Score" by Chris Walla
#29: "Boracay" by The Little Ones
#28: "I'm Amazed" by My Morning Jacket
#27: "White Composition" by Darker My Love
#26: "Dark Leaves From a Thread" by Destroyer
#25: "Crisis 1 & 2" by The Dears
#24: "Walking" by The Dodos
#23: "Valerie Plame" by The Decemberists - Who would've thought that one of the most hilarious, catchy tunes of the year would be from a collection of mediocre songs brought to us by The Decemberists?
#22: "Triphallus, to Punctuate!" by Of Montreal - It's two songs in one, and both songs are equally enchanting, exciting, and lovable.
#21: "Souled Out!!!" by Conor Oberst
#20: "Jager Yoga" by CSS - The title doesn't sound fun at all. The song does.
#19: "Cath..." by Death Cab for Cutie
#18: "Get-Well Cards" by Conor Oberst
#17: "Kill the Director" by The Wombats
#16: "Courtship Date" by Crystal Castles - I've only just recently started listening to Crystal Castles, but I can confidently say that their debut album is one of the coolest things to happen to electronic music in a while. This song is my favorite from the record.
#15: "Txt Me Yr Love" by Wallpaper - If you listen to one song on this list, make it this one. But come on, just listen to 'em all!
#14: "Couleurs" by M83 - I don't care which country you're from, that's an incorrect way to spell "colors."
#13: "Id Engager" by Of Montreal
#12: "Grapevine Fires" by Death Cab for Cutie
#11: "Bye Bye Bye" by Plants and Animals - The best "Bye Bye Bye" since JT had Jheri Curls.
#10: "The Devil, You & Me" by The Notwist - One could make the argument that this is the greatest song The Notwist has ever written. I might be inclined to agree.
#9: "Oxford Comma" by Vampire Weekend - The first several times I listened to VW's debut, this one just didn't stand out among the afro-pop stylings of "Mansard Roof" or "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa." After a year or so of letting it sit, this one is the stand-out for sure!!
#8: "The Escapist" by The Streets - Mike Skinner's latest is a fun romp through the ususal, though it lacks a bit of the emotion that I enjoyed from his previous record. "The Escapist," however, is more than enough reason to pick up this album. The rest of the songs ain't bad either.
#7: "The Re-Arranger" by Mates of State - The "Biggest Disappointment of the Year" award may go to the Mates' newest record, but you simply can't deny the heart put into the title track.
#6: "Market Girl" by Headlights - It started the year as one of my favorite tracks and showed more resiliency than any other song on this list. Do yourself a favor and check out this catchy tune.
#5: "To Pluto's Moon" by My Brightest Diamond - Shara Worden is a genius - we all knew that. But "To Pluto's Moon" is not only her crowning achievement of 2008, but perhaps her entire (brief) career. It's hard to imagine her being able to being able to top such an honestly heartbreaking song.
#4: "Dita Dimone" by Pop Levi - If 2008 has done anything for me, it has reaffirmed my love for pop music. This list, and others to come, are filled with great pop music. This just happens to be one of the best songs of the year, not to mention one of the best pop tracks.
#3: "Ill Willed Person" by Jaymay - Early on, "Sea Green, See Blue" was my favorite. Nowadays, I simply can't get enough of Jamie Seerman's "other" track. "Ill Willed Person" is such an emotional and truthful song that you simply can't hate it.
#2: "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song" by Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes has been this year's IT band, and I feel that a lot of that hype is undeserved. While putting together a solid album, the band has also revealed a lot of flaws and gaps in creativity. This song, however, is one thing that they did right; very, very right.
#1: "Kim & Jessie" by M83 - It was my favorite song of 2008 when it released. It is my favorite song of 2008 now. It will probably be my favorite song of 2008 in 2009, 2010, and pretty much every moment until the world ends in 2012 (the ancient Mayans' call - not mine). The simple truth is that Anthony Gonzalez has a masterpiece on his hands. I simply could not get enough this year.
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Now the big question is "When will that albums list be up?" The good news is that it's compiled and ready to be go. That bad news is that I'm not telling. :)
Go ahead and enjoy that tense anticipation.
Monday, August 04, 2008
Perfect Summer Soundtrack - Week 9
Here's an odd one, folks. I've worked in a gym over the last few years and I've learned a thing or two about what people want to hear when they want to work out. The oddest mix of the bunch belongs to the Water Aerobics crowd who mainly resort to bad disco music. Disco Inferno? No thanks. Here's a playlist for the Water Aerobics crowd. Please try something different for a change!
The Water Aerobics Playlist
So, I know, this isn't really my target audience. Where I work, the majority of people who do Water Aerobics are white and over the age of 60. But I've taken that into account when assembling the playlist. Some of the songs were more popular in their heyday than they are now. None of the songs are so "over the top" that they will flat out hate it, nor do any of them contain profanity or suggestive themes. But it is music that any hipster can appreciate. So even if you're not planning on turning 60 soon, it's still a great playlist.
Week 1 - Rooney's Self-Titled Debut (Beach Trip, Road Trip, Skateboarding)
Week 2 - The Picnic Playlist
Week 3 - Of Montreal: The Sunlandic Twins (Road Trip Sing-a-longs, House Parties, Frisbee Tossing)
Week 4 - The 4th of July Party Playlist
Week 5 - The Pump Me the F*** Up! Playlist (Mountain Climbing, Fight Clubbing, Wakeboarding, Kayaking, Parachuting, Murdering, Running)
Week 2 - The Picnic Playlist
Week 3 - Of Montreal: The Sunlandic Twins (Road Trip Sing-a-longs, House Parties, Frisbee Tossing)
Week 4 - The 4th of July Party Playlist
Week 5 - The Pump Me the F*** Up! Playlist (Mountain Climbing, Fight Clubbing, Wakeboarding, Kayaking, Parachuting, Murdering, Running)
Week 6 - The Elected: Sun Sun Sun (Road Trip)
Week 7 - The Bike Ride Through the Country Playlist
Week 8 - Incubus: Morning View (Skateboarding, Surfing, Beach Trip, Road Trip)
Saturday, June 14, 2008
My Top 5 Indie Music Crushes
Women in the music industry have it kind of rough. When it comes to great songwriters and musicians, there are just as many female as there are male. And yet, for some reason or another, women are still judged primarily by their looks by the particularly male-centric music journalism scene. That’s why an artist like M.I.A. always has to whine and complain about how all the credit for her music is given to her producers and collaborators (also because she wouldn’t quite be M.I.A. without something to throw a fit about). And for what it’s worth, I really do respect the following five women on this list for their musical abilities. Hell, in the midst of all the ogling and staring, we often forget that the reason that these women were brought to our attention in the first place was because of their talent as musicians. So without any further introduction, I’d like to present to you my list of my Top 5 Indie Music Crushes. My apologies to the women of the music industry for reducing your contributions to mere eye candy.
#5 Emily Haines from Metric - Emily Haines has never been one to shy away from her sex appeal. Much of Metric’s early music was drenched in sexuality, and Emily seemed like she was more embracing the forced role of female musicians than shying away from it. And for what it’s worth, I found Emily Haines attractive before I even laid eyes on her. Of course, when I finally put a face to that lovely voice flowing from my speakers I was sold. That “Doctor Blind” video is, by the way, kind of awesome.
#4: Erin Fein from Headlights - In case you were wondering, yes, last night totally sealed the deal. As much as I love Tristan Wraight’s vocals for the the band Headlights, the songs on which Erin Fein lead the vocals have always been my favorite. “T.V.,” “Songy Darko,” Hi Ya,” and “Cherry Tulips” are all fantastic songs, due in large part to Erin’s (pardon the cliche) sugary-sweet vocals. In person, she is just as beautiful as her voice, and clearly someone who enjoys every moment of her job. Plus, she pours coffee for her bandmates! That alone nets her huge brownie points. Just sayin’.
#3: Gwenno from The Pipettes - The funny thing about Gwenno is that that is her birthname, not just some quirky stage name like “Riot Becky.” Take that as your fun fact of the day. Is their any denying to gorgeousness that is Gwenno? I have a gay friend to whom I was trying to explain her beauty. I showed him a picture, to which he responded to the strong, lovely features of Gwenno with “I don’t know. I can’t decide if she’s really old, or just looks like she’s really old.” But you know what? He’s gay, so what else can I expect? I would rant and rave about how talented she is as a vocalist, but I can’t pick her voice out of the other Pipettes, so that would be tough. But hey, I like The Pipettes, so I must like her voice, right? Of course!
#2: Annie Clark of St. Vincent - Don’t let the album cover to her 2007 album confuse you. Annie Clark is actually a very beautiful young woman. Like Gwenno, she has very defined features - like her cheek bones for example. But unlike Gwenno, Annie’s talent as a musician is completely inescapable. Marry Me was my #3 album of 2007, and it wasn’t even because its title was a reference to Arrested Development (which it was). But still, when you have someone who is this talented, this pretty, and who also likes the funniest show of the last 20 years...you kind of can’t help but crush all over that.
#1: Shara Worden of My Brightest Diamond - What can I say? There’s just something about a 5’0” tall woman with the voice of a 300 lb. opera singer and the musical talent of pretty much any notable musician of the last 50 years. That, and the fact that Shara Worden happens to be very, very weird. And I like weird. Her weirdness transcends her music, which few could deny is not only weird but technically, and sonically impressive. When I saw her live, almost two years ago, I was enjoying her just acting like a fool on “Freak Out” even more than most of the other songs that she played. Odd considering that “Freak Out” is not the best song of hers, but not so odd when you consider that she just happens to be “cute as a button” as they say. Personally, I’ve never seen a button that compares
Friday, June 13, 2008
(6/12/08) Mates of State w/ Headlights - Houston, TX
So Mates of State strolled through town last night, their first trip through in a few years, and I was pretty pumped as I had never seen them before. However, I was just as excited to see Headlights, a band whose first album was my #9 album of 2006, and whose second I reviewed pretty fairly as well. But disappointment was in the air. Though I do enjoy Some Racing, Some Stopping very much, I was dumbstruck by the fact that Headlights didn't play a single song (not one) from Kill Them With Kindness, an album I consider to be better, song for song.
Despite that, the band put on a great show. Tristan took over most of the vocal work, and really the only song that Erin sang lead on was their big hit from the new album, "Cherry Tulips." Seeing the band dance around with such energy and vigor was really fun, and really helped get a crowd who wasn't all that familiar with their music into the show. Of course, this dancing came with a downside. Erin accidentally knocked over her beer, and began to unknowingly dance in the puddle that formed. The front row got splashed (I got a drop or two), but she was kind enough to apologize afterwards. Their best song? Probably "Market Girl," which is still one of my favorite songs of 2008 thus far. BTDubs, my camera isn't the best...so getting a good picture was tough with them moving around so much.
Real quick, I gotta get through this second band, Black Joe Lewis. A really energetic 7-piece band complete with baritone sax, alto sax, trumpet, you know...all the good stuff. And the band had a really good sound; kind of like a classic rock mixed with James Brown. But to me, all of their songs sounded the same. It was as if they had one song, with different riffs. The crowd ate it up though, so good for them.
So...Mates of State. What is there to say? The band played perfectly, and managed to play a wide range of their music without focusing too much on their newer stuff. You don't really get a feel for it when you're listening to their albums, but the band is incredibly talented. Seeing Kori tear up two keyboards simultaneously while singing, and Jason do the exact same thing on drums...well, it was impressive.
The band brought along a couple of multi-instrumentalists with them. They guys played strings on all of their new songs off of Re-Arrange Us, but they also played guitar, trombone, percussion, and whatever else the song called for. My favorite song that the band did was either "Fluke" or "The Re-Arranger." Both were performed with such energy and passion that singing along and resisting the urge to stand perfectly still came incredibly easy. I've been waiting for the band to come through Houston for a while, and I was in no way disappointed. After 18 songs, which being Mates of State songs, were all pretty short, the band waved goodbye and left the stage. Then I went home. I was exhausted.
If you went to the show last night, let me know what you thought. Leave a comment below!
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Moods- Unfocused
Sometimes you just don't have the patience or focus for a 18-minute long play epic rock track. So I've made a playlist with 20 songs, none of which are longer than 1:59. It'll go by quick, just like you like it to. Just like this introduction.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Moods - Antsy
Have you ever just wanted to move? You've been sitting at your desk all day, or wasting your Saturday just lounging around. Get up! Go do something! Just move! Me and my restless legs syndrome totally know all about this sensation. Well, as always, I'm here to help you with this most dire of predicaments. Here is a playlist that is almost sure to get you moving. It may make you dance, it may make you bob your head, tap your foot, or defiantly throw a fist in the air. Or it may do all of those. But it will get your antsy ass moving. That's kinda the point.
Friday, April 11, 2008
The Top 5 Songs of 2008 (Well...So Far)
At the end of every year, Audio Overflow always has the big Top 31 Albums of the year countdown. It's kind of a big deal. I literally keep a spreadsheet throughout the year and add and remove albums from it as time passes. But for songs, I tend to be a lot less set in stone. What I'm into changes drastically throughout any given year, so what may be a great song in January may have totally worn on me by June. So if you were to ask me right now what my favorite songs of 2008 were, I would respond with these picks.
#5: "Backfire at the Disco" by The Wombats, from The Wombats EP - It wasn't too long ago that I was against anything that sounded remotely "punk." Can you blame me? My only exposure to said genre, aside from Iggy Pop or The Ramones, was what MTV presented to me. That means, Blink 182, Simple Plan, Sum 41, and a whole lot of other bands that are too crappy too recall. But The Wombats are an indie punk band that I actually like. Their music is a little more complicated than their MTV counterparts and the melodies and lyrics are totally more enjoyable. This song is just a humorous little song that I can't get enough. I totally sing along to it in my vehicle...in a British accent of course.
#4: "Market Girl" by Headlights, from the album, Some Racing, Some Stopping - This is one of those songs that may or may not make it through the year. As it currently stands, I find the guitars in this song to be absolutely infecting. It's definitely one of the catchier songs that Headlights has ever made, which is saying a lot actually. I listen to this CD when I'm in the shower and this song always comes on right about the time I'm getting out. That means I always have to resist the urge to dance to it, because I'd be completely naked...and who knows what that could possibly mean about me. TMI?
#3: "Dark Leaves From a Thread" by Destroyer, from the album, Trouble in Dreams - I never got around to reviewing this album, mostly because I find Den Bejar's work to be difficult to explain or critique. If you're at all familiar with his work, though, you'll know that this is one of his more enjoyable tunes, complete with a convincing vocal performance and (believe it or not) a melody that begs to be sung along to. When Dan sing, "Perfectly at home with this dread/ dark leaves from a thread!" I can't help but syncopate head bangs with his lyrics. It's just a really great song that proves that you don't need actual lyrics to make a great chorus.
#2: "Mansard Roof" by Vampire Weekend, from their self-titled album - I can't help it. Every time I hear the first three notes of this song, I must shout out, "I see a mansard roof through the trees!" with the biggest smile on my face. This song is one of the most enjoyable songs I've heard in quite a long time. It's so charming, so energetic, yet lethargic; who couldn't like every second of it? That's pretty much all I have on this one. Listen to it and you'll know what I mean.
#1: "Sea Green, See Blue" by Jaymay, from the album, Autumn Fallin' - If you're noticing a theme in the songs that I've listed so far, it's that I totally dig a song that you can sing along to. If you can't sing along to it, it loses a lot of points in my book. This song from Jaymay is no different. The odd thing is that I find myself whistling or humming the chorus (which itself is just hums) to this song at random times throughout the day, even if I haven't heard it in a week. It's just one of the best, most touching songs that has come out this year. I have a pretty good feeling that this one will end up in my top 5 by year's end, and I wouldn't be surprised if it stayed in the #1 spot. It's simply that good. Listen for yourself in the playlist I've provided below.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Headlights: "Some Racing, Some Stopping"
In 2006, I opened my mailbox to find a bubblewrap-lined envelope with my name written on it. Who doesn't love coming home to that? I excitedly tore open the brown mailer to find what would soon become one of my favorite albums of that year; Headlights' debut LP, Kill Them With Kindness. It was such a fantastic piece of indie rock, flawless from start to finish, and never letting the 14-song tracklist get the better of them. If there was any complaint to be found against the album, it was that it lacked focus. Some songs would be bombastic California rock jams, others meek, reflective indie rock ballads. This certainly didn't take away from the greatness of the songs themselves, but it was a feature that some took issue with. For their second album, Some Racing, Some Stopping, Headlights has tightened their focus; creating 30+ minutes of dreamy, whistful indie pop. But does this change of style and pace benefit the band the way one would hope? Keep reading.
Album opener, "Get Yer Head Around It," starts with a pleasant, innocuous guitar riff that runs into Tristan Wraight's equally inoffensive vocals. The one-line hook of, "In silence we'll both walk away," is beautifully presented, softly sung over the surrounding instrumentation. In typical Headlights fashion, the song picks up soon enough and finds Tristan and Erin Fein trading off "bas" and "oohs" in a very Mates of State-ish manner. It's a gorgeous song that doesn't try to do too much. The next song and first single, "Cherry Tulips," is a dreamy, airy indie pop song that is so reminiscent of Rilo Kiley's The Execution of All Things album, that I found myself wanting to go and listen to it as soon as this song wrapped up. Fein sings of a sea of Cherry Tulips, confessing, "I want the sea, I want the whole sea for you and me," as haunting vocals echo her words in the background.
"Market Girl" is my personal favorite track on the album, due, in part, to the fact that the opening guitar line is so contagious and danceable. It is indie pop at its most flawless and entertaining. Tristan takes over on vocals again here, spitting out verses like a tommy-gun spits out bullets (fast),but Erin backs him up gently. I've listened to this song at least a dozen times now, and I still can't get enough of it.
"On April 2" is the album's first misstep, finding Fein singing an unaffecting vocal melody over an unrefined and muddled composition of organs, guitars, and drums. To be sure, this is the first time that Headlights has ever really done such a thing, as every other song of theirs that I know of is at least somewhat catchy. This one just seems to fall short on so many levels. It's short though, so you won't have to put up for it for too long. "School Boys" is a softer, more reflective song that once again finds Fein and Wraight trading vocals. Tristan take the lead, while Erin provides some very well-placed "do do dos." The ending of the song finds trumpets and strings harmonizing with one another, adding a small but terrific touch to this simple, yet admirable song.
Title track, "Some Racing, Some Stopping" is equally as simple and impressive, featuring minimal instrumentation and a distinctive lo-fi sound. Fein sings softly over a rhodes organ, "If you could hold, hold, hold your heart in your hand would no one demand to know how you're feeling cause you've shown them already?" later adding, "With your heart on your sleeve, there's no secrets you can keep anymore." It's a very touching song, and one that is made better by the fact that it's so low-key and calming. "So Much for the Afternoon" is a strange song to say the least. Featuring no real vocals other than Erin's airy "oohs" and "aahs," -- which, frankly, we've already heard enough of by this point -- it fails to capture the attention of the listener. By the time she actually starts singing actual words, there's so much reverb on them that it hard to distinguish what she's actually saying. It is another unfortunate, skippable track.
"Catch Them All" is, in fact, not the theme song to Pokemon, but how cool would that have been? Despite that fact, this is one of Some Racing, Some Stopping's better tracks that once again picks up the tempo in a way that fans of Headlights are more accustomed to hearing. It's got a very bouncy, guitar pop feel to it, and it's perfectly executed by the band. "Towers" brings back the organ to complement a very playful, Erin-sung melody. She sings, "Whisper like a summer breeze, all the secrets secrets keep," with an innocent tone. As usual, things eventually build, adding in more assertive drums, and strings all the way to the song's abrupt end. The album ends with "January," a solemn, comedown track. Wraight does vocals here, which is good because his voice is more suited to this type of song. Xylophones, steady guitar strums, and what I believe is the faint sound of a harmonium really carry this song and make it more poignant that it should be. Wraight is able to slip out a tired line like, "Time just marches on," on more than one occasion, but everything is so perfectly orchestrated that it's difficult to not let it come in and affect you.
In the end, Some Racing, Some Stopping, is not as flawless as its predecessor. It's biggest drawback is its lack of immediate appeal. It took me a few listens to get used to the band's new style and sound, and even more for me to appreciate it as it deserved to be. But after all those listens, I can't help but be pleased with my experience with Headlights' new album. While it does have a few low points, the majority of Some Racing, Some Stopping is a beautiful, though not entirely unique, piece of indie pop that is sure to be playing in my stereo well into 2008. I highly recommend this album to everyone that liked Kill Them With Kindness (especially the tracks, "Signs Point to Yes (But Outlook Not So Good)," and "Pity City"). It may take a few listens to get your head around it, but it will be worth it.
Key Tracks:
1. "Get Yer Head Around It"
2. "Cherry Tulips"
3. "Market Girl"
4. "Some Racing, Some Stopping"
5. "January"
7 out of 10 Stars
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Video of the Week - Week 59
My apologies. My intention was to have Headlights' new album, Some Racing, Some Stopping reviewed by yesterday. Unfortunately, my copy didn't come in until yesterday afternoon (darn you Presidents Day!), so you'll have to wait a few more days for that one. In the meantime, here's the video to the album's first single, "Cherry Tulips." Headlights seem to be content with filling the gap in the indie rock scene that Rilo Kiley left when they went all Fleetwood Mac, and I'm cool with that. It's definitely a different sound that we've heard from them in the past, but sometimes different is good.
Enjoy!
"Cherry Tulips" - Headlights, from the album, Some Racing, Some Stopping.
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