NY based Will Toledo’s
musical project Car Seat Headrest comes through with a strut-charged, genuinely
relatable and pretty damn entertaining to listen to album that not only
represents an improvement in terms of maturity and cohesiveness over his previous record “Teens of Style” but also happens to be one of the coolest rock
albums of 2016.
After listening to “Teens of Denial” for the
first time it might seem as Will Toledo had been releasing albums
professionally for decades but in reality it is Car Seat Headrest’s first album
to be recorded in a professional studio, with the help of a skilled,
experienced producer for the first time and with an actual band backing Toledo
up for the first time as well. Considering all that the level of grandiosity and
self-confidence this album exudes is simply insane. “Teens of Denial” is, hands
down, one of the most ambitious rock albums of the year and somehow Will Toledo
accomplished that without sacrificing a single bit of authenticity and
personality, which makes this record an even bigger triumph.
Will Toledo’s ability to pen songs with
surprising craftsmanship (all the more surprising taking into account he’s only
23-year old) instantly stands out on the album’s opener “Fill in the Blank”.
The album serves as the perfect opening track in that it perfectly captures the
slacker rock heart and soul that makes “Teens of Denial” such an example of
what a good rock album should be like, both sonically and lyrically. Will
Toledo’s confident, sometimes unpredictable vocals are one of the album’s
trademarks and this track has him singing his way through lines like “You have
no right to be depressed, you haven’t tried hard enough to like it; haven’t
seen enough of this world yet. But it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts” with
unquestionable passion and irresistible appeal.
Not only does the rest of the album lives up to
that great first impression but it actually gets better and way more epic. A lot
of the songs here are pretty lengthy and the longest one hits (and surpasses)
the 11 minutes mark but things are always fun and engaging. Will Toledo writes
lyrics that essentially deal with rather typical teenage issues and topics but
what’s not typical at all is how witty and cohesive his story-telling is and that
makes the album equally easy to relate and to admire.
The next rack “Vincent” is over 7 minutes long
and it features a lot of what you’ll keep getting on “Teens of Denial”: Great lyrics, varied, fiery instrumentation
that feels very classic rock n’ roll inspired and some explosive, unpredictable
vocal passages. Will Toledo’s vocals resemble Joe Casablancas on many of the
tracks here but “The Strokes” aren’t the only palpable influence here. There’s
a lot of Pavement and some snippets of Weezer thrown here and there in addition
to 90’s grunge vibes to spare but it never feels as if Will Toledo was trying
to rip off anyone; he makes that eccentric and unique combination his own.
“Destroyed by Hippie Powers could’ve easily
been a super grunge hit from the 90’s and the lyrics are refreshingly funny,
personal and sharp as hell (“What happened to that chubby little kid who smiled
so much and loved the Beach Boys? What happened is I killed that fucker and I
took his name and I got new glasses”. The
track “Just What I Wanted/Not Just What I Needed” delivers a bit more of the
same but at this point you’re so hooked on with what you’re listening to that
that’s exactly what you want and again it boasts some strong performances.
“Drunk Drivers/Killer Whales” might very well
be the most awesome song on the “Teens of Denial” and in all honesty, it’s a
strong candidate for song of the year. The lyrics are touching and charming and
they are basically an examination on the whole party till you pass out
lifestyle, moreover in the aftermath of it and how it can affect someone’s
life. The chorus is catchy enough to make you sing along to it while you’re
driving, walking, skating or just lying in bed listening to the album and it’s
very well crafted with smooth care and noticeable melancholy; awesome song.
So, at this point in the album you might think,
“How on earth is he supposed to top this or at least keep things up until the
end of the record?” well, the truth is, for the most part Will Toledo makes it happen.
The next two tracks are an adrenaline rush of bombastic performances,
compelling rock n’ roll swag, a couple of wacky, off the chain endings and again, another solid lyrical deliver: “No
one should ever have to look at themselves. I steer clear of graveyards; they
are cliché in my death-obsessed generation” (“1937 State Park”) and “They say
that the world is one, but if the world is one how come you never come around
anymore? I guess it's not that simple; well, everyone learns to live with their
sins but girl you wear yours like a brand new skin” (“Unforgiving Girl”).
“The Ballad of Costa Concordia” is an impressive
rock epic of over eleven minutes long that mashes together Car Seat Headrest’s
best tricks in one single super track and somehow doesn’t feel long because of
how varied and shifting Will Toledo keeps things at all times and “Connect the
Dots (The Saga of Frank Sinatra)” is another brilliant moment and one of the
album’s highest peaks alongside tracks like “Drunk Drivers” and “Vincent”. The
lyrics are pretty offbeat and there’s a sense of true candor to them that will
leave you smiling and pondering on equal measure. Sonically speaking the song is
pure rock essence and it’s a real blast.
The album has its flaws, though. The closing
track “Joe Goes to School” feels rather flat in comparison to some of the other
tracks and the album deserved a far better ending in my opinion. “Cosmic Hero”,
unlike the majority of the longest cuts here, feel overly stretched out and it
loses steam halfway through the song whereas the song “(Joe Gets Kicked Out of
School for Using) Drugs With Friends (But Says This Isn't a Problem)” didn’t
really add much to the mix asides from its remarkably long title.
However, despite some very punctual flaws and a few low points the album is terrific. It’s incredibly pleasant to see bands and artists making music that sounds this fresh and fun and smart nowadays. “Teens of Denial” succeeds because it exemplifies everything that makes and has always made good rock n’ roll so fun to listen to in the first place; it’s an authentic roller coaster of thrills, laughs and introspection and on top of that, It’s insolently good.
You can check out some of the album's singles in the link down below!
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