Car Seat Headrest has got me through some of the most difficult times of my entire life. Between frontman Will Toledo’s unmistakable voice and songwriting style, to his effortlessly creative and relatable lyrics, I am absolutely obsessed with this band.
In anticipation for their upcoming album, I want to rank each of their studio albums in order of my least favorite, to my favorite.
Car Seat Headrest is an indie-rock band from Leesburg, VA. They have released 12 studio albums and several EPs since its inception in 2010. The band started as a solo project for Toledo when he was 17 years old.
In 2015, Car Seat Headrest became a full-fledged 4-piece band, after getting signed to Matador Records, and has recorded 4 studio albums together under the major label banner, and they’re currently in the studio working on their forthcoming record.
#11 Numbered albums (2010)
The first four albums under the Car Seat Headrest moniker are titled numerically one through four, which makes my job easy because I am going to lump them all together.
“1,” “2,” “3” and “4” were all self-recorded by Toledo in his bedroom and occasionally the backseat of his parents car, and they certainly sound like it.
Most of the songs on the first two albums often feel like sonic experiments, with songs such as “reversible jacket” and “Cesare the somnambulist” being repetitive loops of Toledo humming occasionally broken up by moaning and ranting about absolute nonsense.
Most of the tracks are not worth listening to. The very best tracks from this era have been re-recorded or repurposed into better songs elsewhere.
“portrait of the artist as a young fag” from “3” is by far the best song of the numbered albums. It lovingly details Toledo browsing a furry fan art site while waiting for his furry artist crush to get home from work, so he can talk to them. It’s wonderful.
The numbered albums are inconsistent at best, and their experimental nature unfortunately hinders their best ideas. I would listen to these only if you’re already familiar with the rest of Car Seat Headrest’s discography.
#10 “Making a Door Less Open” (2020)
The most recent effort by the band is the most disjointed piece of work in their discography. “Making a Door Less Open” is focused on EDM influences, similar to 2014s “How to Leave Town.” The album is a collaboration between Toledo and the band’s drummer Andrew Katz.
This is not a bad concept at all. Some of the project’s best songs are more inspired by dance music than indie. However, despite some great tracks “MADLO” fails to impress, and many of the production choices are head-scratching.
“Hymn (Remix)” is the most annoying song the band has ever made. I despise the vocal pitch shifting and the repetitive dubstep wobbles. Unfortunately, 2 minutes is simply too long for this sorry excuse for a song. “Deadlines (Thoughtful)” has a similarly annoying dubstep bassline which sounds like it was made by a 14-year-old with a cracked copy of FL Studio.
The first three tracks, “Weightlifters,” “Can’t Cool Me Down,” and especially “Deadlines (Hostile)” are really catchy and endearing tracks, but “Hollywood” absolutely ruins all the momentum with Andrew Katz’s annoying vocals. Sorry Andrew, I love you, but I am not a fan of this one.
The album sadly never picks up after that. The clever and thoughtful lyricism Toledo is most well-known for is never present.
I’d skip this one entirely except for the first three tracks and “Life Worth Missing.”
#9 “Nervous Young Man” (2013)
Composed mainly of previously unreleased material, and clocking in at a staggering two hours, “Nervous Young Man” is the longest album in Car Seat Headrest’s discography.
The highlights of the record are “Boxing Day,” “We Can’t Afford (Your Depression Anymore)” and “Knife in the Coffee,” each being chock-full of catchy hooks and much crisper production than previous albums.
My favorite is “The Gun Song (No Trigger Version),” which serves as the conclusion to the storyline of “Twin Fantasy” and “Monomania,” where his ex-partner hands him a gun to metaphorically kill their relationship.
The lyrics are full of clever references to the original albums, and the final act where Toledo ends the relationship is the best moment of the entire album.
The problem with “Nervous Young Man” is that it feels more like a box set than a serious album, which hinders most of the work.
There’s no point where the album dips in quality, but the length makes it difficult to listen to and appreciate all of the songs. Not a bad record by any means, but it’s not worth a full listen unless you’re already a fan.
#8 “My Back is Killing Me Baby” (2011)
“My Back is Killing Me Baby” is a combination of the “Sunburned Shirts” EP and the unfinished album “5,” and it’s the earliest solid piece of work in the bands’ discography.
The record is less focused on experimentation, and more focused on storytelling and subverting common song structures. This is very much welcomed after the hours of nonsense noise I had to listen to for the numbered albums.
The singing and overall quality of Toledo’s vocals are a massive improvement over the original numbered albums. “something soon” and “the drum” are some of Toledo’s earliest vocal strides, being full of great melodies and clever lyrics.
The last bit of the album is rough though, with the last three tracks not being stellar. I’m not a big fan of the closer “open-mouthed boy” because I did not want to hear a story about Will Toledo having a dream about getting pregnant and having to get an abortion. That should've stayed in the drafts.
“My Back is Killing Me” is the first step in the right direction for Toledo as both a musician and songwriter, but it’s not essential listening by any means.
#7 “Teens of Style” (2015)
“Teens of Style” is the first album released with major label support, and for the first time Car Seat Headrest takes the form of a full band, instead of just Toledo playing every instrument. Katz joined as a permanent member on drums, while Jacob Bloom would make his only appearance with the band on bass guitar.
This album is a collection of re-recorded versions of songs from the bands’ catalog to introduce new fans to their work.
Despite the newfound monetary support from Matador Records, “Teens of Style” doesn’t stray too far from the bands’ DIY roots.
All of the re-recordings sound great, and many get new additions, with “Maud Gone” getting a beautiful saxophone solo, and “Times To Die” getting new lyrics that compare getting a record deal to being invited to a “divine council” of musicians.
“psst, teenagers, take off your clo” and “Oh! Starving” from “3” are welcome additions, being catchy and fun power-pop songs, but some of the other song choices are more questionable.
I’ve never been a fan of “No Passion” or “Sunburned Shirts,” which are pretty repetitive and don’t particularly introduce any interesting concepts. Out of an entire catalog of hundreds of great songs, I have no idea why they singled out these two in particular.
The flow of the album leaves much to be desired, and the only new track “Bad Role Models, Old Idols Exhumed (psst, teenagers, put your clothes back o)” feels awkwardly bitter as a penultimate track.
“Teens of Style'' is a great introduction to the band’s early catalog and I highly recommend it if you’re getting into their work, but it is definitely not their strongest album overall.
#6 “Living While Starving” (2012)
For some reason, this five-track EP has become incredibly popular because of the song “It’s Only Sex” blowing up on TikTok. That’s a great thing because the song, along with the other tracks, are all great too.
“Reuse the Cells” and “I Hate Living” are great tracks that do a great job of blending electronic and indie influences. Toledo’s self-aware lyrics absolutely shine on this EP, and at 21 minutes it’s very much worth a listen.
#5 “Twin Fantasy (Mirror to Mirror)” (2011)
After experiencing a particularly difficult long-distance queer relationship, Toledo decided for the first time to create a cohesive record, instead of throwing random songs together.
The result is “Twin Fantasy” (retroactively given the title “Mirror to Mirror”), a sprawling concept album that follows a relationship where Toledo creates a fantasized character of his partner they could never live up to.
“Beach Life-in-Death” is my favorite song of all time, and beautifully portrays the gut-wrenching pain of being a closeted queer person while letting life slowly walk over you. It is a scream towards the universe to break the laws of nature and humanity just to get a chance to freely be with someone of the same sex.
“Stop Smoking” is a somber plea to Toledo’s partner to end their self-destructive habits, and in “Sober to Death,” Toledo offers to instead be the recipient of their harm.
The greatest problem with “Mirror to Mirror” is that Toledo’s ambitions surpass his abilities. The production leaves much to be desired, with Toledo’s vocals either buried or covered in so many vocal effects that it’s impossible to discern what he’s talking about.
Unfortunately a lot of the records’ best concepts get buried under layers of out of tune guitars and off-tempo drums that distract from the emotional weight of the subject matter.
This album is much loved by fans, and I understand why many people consider it their favorite, but it personally doesn’t resonate with me as much as “Monomania” or “Face to Face.”
#4 “Monomania” (2012)
“Monomania” is effectively a sister album to “Twin Fantasy (Mirror to Mirror),” which narratively focuses on the grief following the end of Toledo’s relationship.
The album is much darker in tone, with many of the songs taking a more bitter approach to lyrics and songwriting. While it retains the gritty lofi production of “Mirror to Mirror,” it is sonically much more diverse, drawing influences from house and techno while retaining an indie-rock spirit.
While the production is very DIY, it never gets in the way of the songs like it does on its sister album. The vocals are always present in the mix, and assortment of new instruments always keep things moving.
The album’s ambitions never feel like they go too far beyond Toledo’s abilities, and the end result is nine great songs that thematically illustrate the five stages of grief.
“Romantic Theory” and “Misheard Lyrics” begin with denial and anger, “Los Borrachos (I Don’t Have Any Hope Left, But The Weather Is Nice)” and “Sleeping With Strangers” blend into each other to represent bargaining and depression and “Anchorite (Love You Very Much)” representing a reluctant acceptance.
The lyrics of this album are pretty contentious among fans, as Toledo often sounds quite mean, especially on tracks such as “Overexposed (Enjoy).” But to be completely honest, that’s just what a bad breakup sounds like.
For me personally, this album sits so high because it helped me process difficult emotions during a really hard time of my life, and I think it’s an incredibly overlooked album in Toledo’s discography.
Above all else, “Monomania” is a worthy successor to “Mirror to Mirror” and surpasses it in its execution.
#3 “How to Leave Town” (2014)
The final full-length release by Car Seat Headrest before the project became a full band with major label support, with “How To Leave Town” being composed mostly of songs that would later be featured on “Teens of Denial.”
However, instead of being the straight rock songs that would later be featured on that album, “How to Leave Town” turns the outtakes into more of an electronic direction, full of drum machines and synth bass that in tandem with some fantastic songwriting, make for the most cohesive sound Toledo had produced thus far.
Every song on “How to Leave Town” is a banger. At no point does it feel like an outtakes compilation, because Toledo organizes all the songs to create a loose narrative about leaving your friends, and moving across the country, which he was doing at the time.
The opening track “The Ending of Dramamine” starts with a five-minute instrumental built off a simple drum machine loop that slowly devolves into madness before the song even begins. The bridge near the end of the song is absolutely chilling and gorgeous. It’s one of the best moments in Toledo’s discography.
“I Want You To Know That I’m Awake” and “America (Never Been)” are fantastic tracks that never overstay their welcome despite their long runtimes.
This record has a wonderfully unique sound that pairs excellently with Toledo’s songwriting. It’s much more understated than a lot of the band’s other works, but that is why it’s so endearing to me.
“How to Leave Town” is a criminally underrated album. It is dramatic, slow-burning and absolutely gorgeous.
#2 “Twin Fantasy (Face to Face)” (2018)
After the roaring success of “Teens of Denial,” Toledo and crew headed back into the studio for about a year straight, where Toledo reportedly spent hours perfecting every minute of detail, and his obsession pays off exceptionally well.
This version of “Twin Fantasy,” dubbed “Face to Face” serves as the definitive version of the record, being meticulously redone with new lyrics and expanded songs to boot.
“Face to Face” is phenomenal. Instead of sticking to the lofi roots the band has always stuck with thus far, the album’s production is jaw-droppingly clean and gorgeous.
“High to Death” and “Bodys,” which were tracks bogged by poor mixing on the original, now absolutely shine.
“Sober to Death” is absolutely the highlight of the record. The reworked version elevates the somber, self-destructive love song into something truly magical.
The lyrics of “Face to Face” are absolutely immaculate. They can be endlessly analyzed and annotated, and the lyrical motifs that connect the song’s themes are phenomenal.
Sometimes I sit and wonder how Toledo could’ve possibly written so many lines that have the ability to shift meanings entirely depending on how you read them.
The only thing holding “Twin Fantasy” back is that it is an incredibly emotionally taxing experience, especially for people who have been in similarly toxic and destructive relationships.
One could not ask for a better send-off to the original narratives of “Mirror to Mirror” and “Monomania,” which is a huge order.
A truly fantastic album.
# 1 “Teens of Denial” (2016)
“Teens of Denial” is the breakthrough album for the band, and garnered massive critical and commercial success upon its release, but it does not waste a single moment throughout its runtime.
Ethan Ives and Seth Dalby joined as the bands’ new permanent members on guitar and bass respectively. Their energetic tendencies are a welcomed addition to the lineup, especially on this album.
Every single song on this record is eloquently crafted, and though it’s not a concept record, the themes present in the album of struggling to become a functioning adult make every track play seamlessly into the next.
I want “Destroyed by Hippie Powers” to play at my funeral. Toledo’s shrieks on the final pre chorus are absolutely chilling. It is akin to a musical cry for help, from the perspective of someone who despises parties getting absolutely plastered at a house show not wanting to accept his own adulthood.
“Drunk Drivers/Killer Whales” and “The Ballad of the Costa Concordia” both use metaphors to describe the pain of self-destructive behaviors, and how they affect you and others. Toledo’s use of metaphors on this record are absolutely fantastic.
The production is immaculate. Unlike the perfectly clean “Twin Fantasy (Face to Face),” “Teens of Denial” hits a perfect sweet spot between DIY energy and a studio sound. The mixing is fantastic, and the often dense instrumentation never outshines Toledo’s rowdy vocals.
More than anything else, “Teens of Denial” contains the best overall songs of any Car Seat Headrest album. It is perfect front to back, and it is essential listening for any fan of indie rock.
Conclusion
It was very hard to rank my favorite albums, and I do have a lot of people that will definitely disagree with my rankings, but this is my article, and not yours, so I don’t care.
If you are curious about getting into this wonderfully sad and sometimes very weird band, start with “Teens of Denial.” From there, “Twin Fantasy (Face to Face)” and “Teens of Style” are great introductions into the rest of the band’s work.
Though I wasn’t a huge fan of their latest album, I am still highly anticipating their next record and I cannot wait to hear what Toledo and the band have to offer.
