Headlights

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  Headlights

An underappreciated band on an underappreciated label, Headlights began coming of age last year with a lithe, summery sophomore effort, Some Racing, Some Stopping. But the pain of leaving the past behind is as much a part of growing up as the thrill of establishing a personal identity, and it’s that pain that the Champaign, Ill., band explores on its latest, Wildlife. The new disc moves away from the inviting early-June seascape of Some Racing’s “Cherry Tulips," giving way to the cold days and closed windows of “Wisconsin Beaches.” Expect Wildlife's melancholy tunes to get center stage, but Headlights regularly performs older tracks—with the same communal joy and moxie bands often save only for new music.