Under Car Seat Headrest's Twitter handle sits 90's They Might Be Giants lyrics that reference Allen Ginsberg's 1955 poem "Howl," which might sum up the depth of the bespectacled indie rocker's work better than just about anything else can. Will Toledo, the man behind the band, draws from both angsty personal experience and decades of brilliant art that well precede his 24 years on this earth to color his music with wit, honesty, and a striking perceptiveness that really doesn't come along too often.
"Drunk Drivers/Killer Whales," a recently released single off of his upcoming record Teens Of Denial (out May 20 via Matador Records), is a quintessential example of this that's been lodged in my head on loop lately like some sort of hauntingly poetic PSA. Per Toledo, the song is about “post-party melancholia. Wishing to either be a better person or care less about the whole deal. Going home alone, in poor condition." A common crisis? Maybe, but never has the dizzying stumble towards the thickest hours of the night been articulated this beautifully.
If you like what you hear and it's your first time listening to Car Seat Headrest, you'll be glad to know that there's a shimmering oasis of 12 albums waiting for you to explore. No, that's not a typo. Toledo recorded and self-released eleven albums on Bandcamp while still in college before releasing his first on Matador last year. Pretty incredible.
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