Headlights' Wildlife

Track List:

1. "Telephones" - 4:09
2. "Secrets" - 3:24
3. "You and Eye" - 3:42
4. "Get Going" - 2:39
5. "Love Song for Buddy" - 3:15
6. "I Don't Mind at All" - 3:48
7. "Dead Ends" - 3:49
8. "Wisconsin Beaches" - 3:19
9. "We're All Animals" - 5:06
10. "Teenage Wonder" - 3:40
11. "Slow Down Town" - 5:26

Headlights’ biggest problem, ironically, is that they have yet to illuminate a clear path before them. Their debut featured arguably their best track to date, “Your Old Street,” as the opener to be followed by certain disappointment. The gorgeous orchestral introduction succumbs to cymbal flourishes and a crunching bass line that dissipates as the vocals make their entrance. Two and a half minutes in it becomes a truly glorious keyboard driven pop masterpiece. Already their frenetic tendencies are apparent, but if the execution is this sharp, they’re setting the stage for a landmark indie pop or even chamber pop affair. Sadly, it was not to be. There are some good ideas that develop over the course of the subsequent 13 tracks, but none of them pack even half the punch. The battle of keys and guitar on “TV” or the synth accented gut rock of “Lions” have surely enriched their share of playlists, but they do little to help the incongruity that plagues the album. And tracks like the predictably melancholy “Pity City” or the stammering syncopation of “Lullabies” may be charming, but they bring little nuance to the table.

Two years later Some Racing, Some Stopping has our pop darlings again flirting with greatness on “Cherry Tulips,” the track that keeps “Your Old Street” from irrefutably being the best track. Few bands can compete with the simple pleasures offered in this track or tracks like “Market Girl” and “Catch Them All.” The relative absence of the electric guitar solidifies the well crafted ambience, but it’s all a little forgettable.

Thankfully, the group is not satisfied with their complacent obscurity, as proven by the return of the electric. “Telephones” is hardly a heart stopping rock revival, but the immaculate vocal duet and the ephemeral guitar solo fading back into the compelling riff is certainly evident of a level of expertise only seen in glimpses on the first two long players. “Secrets” is still a stronger bit of evidence that these guys have finally figured out how their previously scattered elements work together. The handclaps, synth hook and scaling guitar enter in rounds and a minute in this song finally delivers on the promise “Your Old Street” seemed to make three years ago. “Get Going” and “Dead Ends” serve as a link between the more exciting tracks of the debut and the grace of the follow-up infusing the insouciant elegance with (finally!) more distinctive melodies.

There are still a few definite throw away tracks, but for the first time I’m convinced that this band is on to something. The filler tracks are fewer and further between, while the best tracks blow any prior favorites out of the water. It really feels like an album. Not only is the road before them finally apparent, the high beams have been flicked on shedding light on the previously elusive melodies and rambling instrumentation that only seemed to overlap by coincidence before.