hollywoodchase
10/11/08, 03:20 PM
Dear and the Headlights - Drunk Like Bible Times
Record Label: Equal Vision Records
Release Date: September 30, 2008
Out-of-the-box themes and avant-garde lyrics have no place in a scene whose sole attraction is emotional connection. Hence, the sluggish disappointment some might have with Drunk like Bible Times reveals a lack of attention to detail and faulty appreciation for this defeated, paranoid sophomore album from Dear and the Headlights. Just read the lyrics, just try it.
Along with reflux opinions from your ulcer moods
You're just a litany of horrors like the evening news
But off somewhere in a New York flat, Benzedrine derailed rants of immeasurable frenetic praise
That cauterize before they save
“These aren't normal lyrics. Hell, what do they even mean?” Well, dumbass, look them up. Ian Metzger wasn't scouring his dictionary to piss you off, he was building a poetic repertoire, one obscure metaphor at a time. Songs on this record like "Carl Solomon Blues" cause the listener to squint as he tries to keep up with the speedy, yet melodic delivery. It's as if Metzger can't make sense of his thoughts either, so instead of trying to dumb them down, he spits them out as they come. And if that involves shouting and stomping and sighing in between rants, then this is what shall happen.
Oh, the growth! DATH's debut was obviously a loose collection of initial material, rather than the coherent psyche-fest that succeeded it. Lyrics were cringe-worthy, themes were youthful, and listeners were satisfied. This was mostly in part to Metzger’s off-key scream-straining, which is still very present in DLBT. Their debut served as the hook for listeners looking for a more creative sound, but not yet ready for a full-blown portrait of insanity. Now, we’re ready.
On “Now It’s Over,” he screams:
Nicotine walks, nervous talks, constantly trading palms
Oh supply and demand
And yes you really are no one
And life is just lonely.
These lyrics are essential for understanding this album. This loneliness comes up time and time again. It’s an uncomfortably specific emotion that Metzger clouds with metaphors, but still forges the connection to the listener. If emotion is what the listener wants, this is what he gets. Although it often comes out as a verbal-vomit style confession with lines like “Oh I've been so wrong/And all that distance that I dispatch won't ever help me feel less alone,” he still spoon-feeds you the gang vocals and the epic shouting-at-the-rain ending. What more can you ask?
As for the tracks themselves, some of the ballads get boring, but eventually recover. I’m referring to “Flowers for my Brain,” and “Wiletta,” which both reveal exciting buildups and musical resolutions. “I'm Not Crying. You're Not Crying, Are You?” and “Bad News” introduce the band’s new sound and new attitude, and although neither stand out as musical accomplishments, both are integral pieces of the album’s puzzle. The grand finale, “I Know,” is the culmination of Metzger throwing his hands up in the air, disappearing into a crowd, the army of voices helping him embrace his loneliness, and the fans finally getting what they came such a long way for: that feeling of connection, of community.
Small Steps, Heavy Hooves; Bright Eyes’ folkier songs on Lifted; Kevin Devine’s Split the Country, Split the Streets
myspace.com/dearandtheheadlights (http://www.myspace.com/dearandtheheadlights)
Record Label: Equal Vision Records
Release Date: September 30, 2008
Out-of-the-box themes and avant-garde lyrics have no place in a scene whose sole attraction is emotional connection. Hence, the sluggish disappointment some might have with Drunk like Bible Times reveals a lack of attention to detail and faulty appreciation for this defeated, paranoid sophomore album from Dear and the Headlights. Just read the lyrics, just try it.
Along with reflux opinions from your ulcer moods
You're just a litany of horrors like the evening news
But off somewhere in a New York flat, Benzedrine derailed rants of immeasurable frenetic praise
That cauterize before they save
“These aren't normal lyrics. Hell, what do they even mean?” Well, dumbass, look them up. Ian Metzger wasn't scouring his dictionary to piss you off, he was building a poetic repertoire, one obscure metaphor at a time. Songs on this record like "Carl Solomon Blues" cause the listener to squint as he tries to keep up with the speedy, yet melodic delivery. It's as if Metzger can't make sense of his thoughts either, so instead of trying to dumb them down, he spits them out as they come. And if that involves shouting and stomping and sighing in between rants, then this is what shall happen.
Oh, the growth! DATH's debut was obviously a loose collection of initial material, rather than the coherent psyche-fest that succeeded it. Lyrics were cringe-worthy, themes were youthful, and listeners were satisfied. This was mostly in part to Metzger’s off-key scream-straining, which is still very present in DLBT. Their debut served as the hook for listeners looking for a more creative sound, but not yet ready for a full-blown portrait of insanity. Now, we’re ready.
On “Now It’s Over,” he screams:
Nicotine walks, nervous talks, constantly trading palms
Oh supply and demand
And yes you really are no one
And life is just lonely.
These lyrics are essential for understanding this album. This loneliness comes up time and time again. It’s an uncomfortably specific emotion that Metzger clouds with metaphors, but still forges the connection to the listener. If emotion is what the listener wants, this is what he gets. Although it often comes out as a verbal-vomit style confession with lines like “Oh I've been so wrong/And all that distance that I dispatch won't ever help me feel less alone,” he still spoon-feeds you the gang vocals and the epic shouting-at-the-rain ending. What more can you ask?
As for the tracks themselves, some of the ballads get boring, but eventually recover. I’m referring to “Flowers for my Brain,” and “Wiletta,” which both reveal exciting buildups and musical resolutions. “I'm Not Crying. You're Not Crying, Are You?” and “Bad News” introduce the band’s new sound and new attitude, and although neither stand out as musical accomplishments, both are integral pieces of the album’s puzzle. The grand finale, “I Know,” is the culmination of Metzger throwing his hands up in the air, disappearing into a crowd, the army of voices helping him embrace his loneliness, and the fans finally getting what they came such a long way for: that feeling of connection, of community.
Small Steps, Heavy Hooves; Bright Eyes’ folkier songs on Lifted; Kevin Devine’s Split the Country, Split the Streets
myspace.com/dearandtheheadlights (http://www.myspace.com/dearandtheheadlights)