Album Review: Car Seat Headrest Takes a Confusing New Turn
On Making a Door Less Open, indie favorites Car Seat Headrest aren’t quite sure how to utilize their new, electronic-influenced sound.
Written by William Golden
Photo courtesy of Carlos Cruz
(Note: Three different versions of the album have been released: the digital, CD, and vinyl, all of which have minor, but noticeable, differences. This album review is only based on the digital release.)
For decades, rock bands have incorporated electronic sounds into their music in an attempt to diversify their sound. For Radiohead and David Bowie, the transition went rather smoothly — for U2 and Arcade Fire, fans were less enthused with the results. Making a Door Less Open, the first new album in four years from acclaimed indie rockers Car Seat Headrest, lies somewhere in between the two extremes.
Will Toledo, the band’s founder and frontman, announced the album under the character of Trait, who wears a mask to remove attention away from himself and remind listeners to “have some fun with” the music. (Unfortunately, given our current climate, the mask seems more like a grim reminder than an escape.) The persona of Trait originates from the Car Seat Headrest side project, 1 Trait Danger, which puts drummer Andrew Katz in the forefront. 1 Trait Danger primarily makes comedy rap, poking fun at everything from hackers to snobby Pitchfork writers. However, the influence of 1 Trait Danger on the more straightlaced music of Car Seat Headrest seems to be responsible for the album’s worst qualities. The lowest point on the album, “Hollywood,” sounds like it was made as a joke. Katz yelling cringeworthy lyrics like “Come see my movie / It’s kind of groovy” is an embarrassing moment for the band.
Before things fall apart, the album opens with two solid tracks. The first song, “Weightlifters,” starts with a sparse synth line and leads to an exuberant burst of energy, with some of Toledo’s typically anxiety-ridden, relatable lyrics rounding out the song. “Can’t Cool Me Down,” possibly the album’s strongest track, sounds like it was influenced by Remain in Light-era Talking Heads and ‘80s synthpop. Still, the tracks are brought down by some puzzling choices of synths and drum machines, which seem jarring and out of place. “Hymn (Remix),” provides a more successful experimentation with electronic music by incorporating chopped-up vocals and a frantic, pulsating beat, hinting at what could have been a more interesting album.
Despite the band’s pivot in sound, a few tracks bear resemblance to some of their past material but aren’t as remarkable. “Deadlines (Hostile)” and “What’s With You Lately” (the latter of which is guitarist Ethan Ives’ debut on vocals) fail to make an impression even after multiple listens. “There Must Be More Than Blood” is one of the best songs on the album, but is reminiscent of, and not as good as, the 14-minute epic “The Ending of Dramamine” from 2014’s How to Leave Town. Lyrically, there are few memorable lines or compelling turns of phrase, with little personal material finding its way into the songs.
On some of the tracks, Toledo proves himself to be as capable of writing catchy hooks as ever. The chorus of “Martin” is designed for belting out at the top of your lungs. Although parts of “Deadlines (Thoughtful)” are further attempts at experimentation that don’t land, the build up to the chorus and Toledo’s shouts of “Can’t get connected” in the refrain are high points. Even “Hollywood,” for all of its faults, is unique enough to make an impact. Unfortunately, they are too often brought down by the synths and drum machines, which vary from being basic to distractingly irritating, and the lack of memorable lyrics to accompany those melodies.
Image courtesy of Matador
Making a Door Less Open is the least compelling Car Seat Headrest album since Will Toledo’s Bandcamp releases a decade ago. Despite the overall lack of enthusiasm for this project, this is likely a temporary misstep for the band. Let’s just hope that in the future, they keep the side projects to the side.