Gentle Hits

stream The Gentle Hits' (ex-Dear and the Headlights) debut LP

The Equal Vision-signed folk rock band Dear and the Headlights sadly departed after just two records in the late ’00s, but singer Ian Metzger and drummer Mark Kulvinskas brought our spirits back up earlier this year when they announced that their new band The Gentle Hits would release a self-titled debut album on November 18. That’s this Friday, and ahead of the release, we’re premiering a full stream of the album.

The band — which also features James Mulhern (of What Laura Says) and Wayne Jones — really do pick up right where Dear and the Headlights left off. Ian’s voice is still unmistakable and still totally powerful, and the songwriting is great. It’s a little rootsier than the two Dear and the Headlights are, but otherwise Ian’s style has mostly gone unchanged. If you’re new to Gentle Hits/DatH but you like Band of Horses or Lucero or Deer Tick or anything like that, you should give this a listen. Check it out:

The album comes out on Porch Party Records. Pre-order it.