Headlights

Headlights
@ Beachland Tavern, April 25
by Andrew Clayman
Published in The Cleveland Scene, April 2009



In some respects, the music of Headlights is merely indie-pop-by-numbers, complete with boy/girl vocals, bouncy bass lines, and keyboard lines straight from the playbooks of Beulah and The Apples In Stereo. But while any band can pick a template to start from, only a handful are good enough to stand alongside their influences. Based out of Champaign, Illinois, Headlights are easily an iPod commercial away from a mainstream break-out.

The quintet’s sophomore album, 2008’s Some Racing, Some Stopping, served up plenty of tight hooks, and showed a considerable evolution in craft from their patchy debut. Along with cutesy singles like “Cherry Tulips,” the Polyvinyl-released album also delved into some slightly darker territory on the Death Cab-ish “Get Yer Head Around It” and the infectious “School Boys.” Perhaps even more significant to their hopes of success, Headlights have quickly established a reputation as a killer live act, infusing their already danceable setlists with plenty of improvised acrobatics. The band has enjoyed high profile tours with Mates of State and the Submarines in the past year, and their current pairing with post-rockers El Ten Eleven should introduce them to a whole new audience.
Spektor attitude. Expect a fun, colorful show when Lilly brings her new band to the Beachland.