May I Have Some More?

There is an ever-building group of intense rock bands that incorporate the advances of technology with their traditional influences. One of these bands, Headlights, just happened onto the scene with their debut EP, The Enemies. They bring forth the same passionate vibrato in just four songs that any of their predecessors do in an entire album.The first song, “Tokyo” begins with crunchy guitar distortion and a slow beat. Singer/guitarist Tristan Wraight’s voice is soft and smoky. Singer/keyboardist Erin Fein seems the underdog, giving off the impression that she is for backup. Her voice is sweet and straight-toned, breathy with Bjork-like inflections. “Centuries” has the opposite tempo; it is upbeat and energetic with less distortion and rawer, unadulterated instrumentals. This shows two distinct styles right off the bat.

The best song on the EP is “Everybody Needs a Fence to Lean On.” The underlying current is a Brian Eno-esque building of dissonant harmonies in the background. This song shows a duality of vocals; Wraight and Fein have more equal roles and play off of each other like a conversation. This, the greatest culmination of all of their talents, includes poetic lyrics about love and the tribulations of life. “It Isn’t Easy to Live That Well” wraps up the EP neatly. However, it is anticlimactic after the previous song.

It isn’t often when a brand new band invokes such excitement from a mere four songs. With this wide range of writing skills, vocal balance, and ambient creativity displayed, it will be a difficult wait until Headlights produce a full album.