Utah band The National Parks released “Headlights” early this month, the first single since their 2020 album Wildflower. The folk-pop group channeled the best kind of acoustic, summertime feeling in this love song duet. We’ll be featuring it all weekend as our ONErpm Hitmaker Alert!
Since forming out of Provo, Utah in 2013, the band has released four albums independently. “Headlights” is hopefully a sign of more great music to follow. The song features guitarist Brady Parks and keys player Sydney Macfarlane on vocals. Together, they describe the desire to get away from the bustle of life and spend a moment with the person you love. With a gentle acoustic guitar on top of soft synths, the song ebbs and flows in a peaceful rhythm. It builds to a more intense bridge with a distant beat and heavier synths before breaking into heartfelt harmony.
“Headlights” relies on the thematic imagery of a spontaneous road trip. The vocalists sing of dancing in the headlights of a car, where “just for a night, it’s like the world’s not falling apart.” The world fades away as they drive to their destination, and eventually, all that’s left is the love that ties the two together.
In the music video for the song, the headlights of an old car illuminate the lyrics. It looks like a quiet place away from the bustling city in the background, coinciding with the peace-seeking story that the song tells.
Tune in all weekend long at 100.1 FM or lightning100.com to hear “Headlights” by The National Parks featured as our #ONErpmHitmaker. Be sure to let us know your thoughts! Tweet at us @Lightning100 and share your take on the track.