Headlights
The Enemies EP
Polyvinyl, 2005
A couple of recent signings have made me wonder if Polyvinyl is beginning to change directions. The label has long been the slash between indie-rock and emo with such acts as Rainer Maria, Ida, and Decibully (ex-Promise Ring…can you get more emo than the Promise Ring?) on their roster. That's what's so initially refreshing about the debut EP from Illinois’ Headlights: it follows in Polyvinyl's tradition of earnest, well-crafted, lovelorn pop for depressed teenagers. However, that's sort of the problem with it as well; it's a little too typical. Lush, full melodies with cute male/female vocals - it's pleasant, but sort of expected and mostly unspectacular. Much of the problem lies in the vocals of male singer Tristan Wraight, who, perhaps because of his history in the spectacular instrumental math-rock band Maserati, hasn't quite found a comfortable singing voice. The EP ends on a true high note though, with female vocalist Erin Fein doing her best Caithlin De Marrais impression and leading us though the surprisingly diverse "It Isn't Easy to Live That Well." The song sounds like the Tokyo that the EP's first song describes, Fein's vocals being the slow, lonely wanderer in the bustling, exciting, constantly changing city that the music creates. It's worth mentioning that this EP is a re-release of a self-released CD from a year ago because it sounds like the work of a young band who sounds promising, but still needs time to find both purpose and direction. A full length debut is slated for fall 2006, and if it realizes the mere potential that this release displays, then you can expect to see them all over the OC mix-tape vol. 28 and on the cover of Spin holding a ripped out heart. That is, if Polyvinyl isn't too hardcore by then to put it out! -- David Gulbis