Headlights

When the critically acclaimed dream-pop band Absinthe Blind broke up in 2003, four of its members started a band called Orphans that would ultimately become Headlights. Under its current moniker, the foursome largely departed from the drifty, melancholy sounds of its previous project. Retaining the glittery grandeur that made Absinthe's...

By Tom Murphy

November 5, 2009

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When the critically acclaimed dream-pop band Absinthe Blind broke up in 2003, four of its members started a band called Orphans that would ultimately become Headlights. Under its current moniker, the foursome largely departed from the drifty, melancholy sounds of its previous project. Retaining the glittery grandeur that made Absinthe's music so transportingly expansive, Headlights seems to put an increased focus on pop songcraft rather than mood and atmosphere. Instead of downbeat rainy-day music, Headlights writes upbeat melodies that are so catchy it's often easy to miss the subtle yet rich layers of sound and textures that go into each song. With its latest release, Wilderness, the band combines a contemplative mood with a wide-eyed sense of wonder — the perfect soundtrack for future teen movies.

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Tom Murphy is a writer, visual artist and musician from Aurora, Colorado. He was a prolific music writer for Westword and a documenter of the Denver music scene.

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Twitter: @simianthinker