Dear and the Headlights: 'I'm Not Crying. You're Not Crying, Are You?

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Arizona quintet Dear and the Headlights

Courtesy of the Artist

Arizona quintet Dear and the Headlights

Courtesy of the Artist

Energy radiates from Ian Metzger's frenetic vocals and the crashing and thrashing of the electric guitars and percussion in "I'm Not Crying. You're Not Crying, Are You?" This opening track, on Dear and the Headlights' oddly titled sophomore album, Drunk Like Bible Times, is almost absurdly infectious, with some surprising turns in mood. The album expertly delivers both a beautiful, melodic calm and a total eruption of emotions and sound.

While many bands resort to pulling out a couple of ballads per album to tap into its softer sound, Dear and the Headlights manages to slip in and out of this sense of serenity within the same song, which is much more dynamic and intriguing.

As if to echo the explosiveness of its music, this Arizona band has shared the ticket with big acts like Jimmy Eat World and Mae among many others. Ian Metzger says they look forward to their first official showcase for SXSW in March.

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