Album of the Week: Car Seat Headrest, 'Teens of Denial'
by David Safar
September 19, 2016
The scene outside the Triple Rock on the July night Car Seat Headrest stopped in Minneapolis wasn't an average Monday. You could feel the 380-capacity room at the Triple Rock Social Club reach its max as the line through the club's long entrance slowed to a halt. There was a frantic energy outside the club as show-goers realized they might not get in. The last people through the door dutifully watched from the back of the space, hoping to find a sightline to Will Toledo as his band ripped through songs from the newly released Teens of Denial. Leading up to the band's return to the Twin Cities, what is it about Car Seat Headrest that has so many music fans swooning over Toledo and his music?
Maybe it's because Toledo's Teens of Denial sounds like a rejection of the times. It's introspective, self-deprecating, and nothing like the trendy pop-centric rock of the past decade. The songs are personal, imaginative and intelligent. There is a rugged individualism underneath Toledo's preppy swagger that comes through on songs that are completely unapologetic. His confidence might come from self-releasing eight albums before signing to Matador Records for what many newcomers would consider his debut album.
If you don't find Teens of Denial a charming rebellion against indie rock, you might still fall for its nostalgic appeal. The album invokes a DIY aesthetic reminiscent of the early '90s, without being contrived or overtly trying to sound like grunge. Working with Steve Fisk, who has produced bands from Beat Happening to Nirvana, the album perfectly balances the dynamic between Toledo's lo-fi aesthetic and what happens when he gets together with a band. Instead of emulating the sounds of mainstream alternative music, Toledo seems more akin to Stephen Malkmus or Corin Tucker than Kurt Cobain or Liz Phair.
At 70 minutes, Teens of Denial could qualify as an indie-rock opus, ranging from timid opening on "Vincent" to the chunky layers of guitar on "Connect The Dots (The Saga Of Frank Sinatra)." The lack of structure between the songs is important to the experience. Just like that live show, the unpredictable nature of the album makes it stand out against the verse, chorus, verse you get in daily life.
Car Seat Headrest's Teens of Denial is out now. The band will play the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis on Wednesday, Sept. 28.
Resources
Car Seat Headrest - Bandcamp
