It seems Car Seat Headrest are having a protracted breakup with rock. Once the Bandcamp moniker of prolific lo-fi songwriter Will Toledo, the project quickly amassed an ardent online following, and was signed to Matador Records in 2015. In the time since they have released two records that have cemented them as an indie rock stronghold, 2016’s Teens of Denial, and 2018’s Twin Fantasy (Face to Face), a rerecording of the earlier release that served as a jumping off point for Toledo from hastily compiled collections of songs to a first attempt at recording a cohesive record. No strangers to formal experimentation (just look at 2014’s ‘The Ending of Dramamine’), the two released singles from CSH’s upcoming album Making a Door Less Open show that whilst staying true to their roots as a rock band, Toledo et. al are taking their far-flung influences to heart.

The final result is a mixture of the two, melding the sounds of a traditional rock four-piece with the instrumentation and mixing of Katz

The new album, conceived of and recorded over the four year period since Teens of Denial, is the culmination of two projects: Car Seat Headrest, and the somewhat more divisive electronic group 1 Trait Danger, a collaborative effort between Toledo and drummer Andrew Katz. The album was recorded in full by the band, and again using MIDI instrumentation by Trait; the final result is a mixture of the two, melding the sounds of a traditional rock four-piece with the instrumentation and mixing of Katz, who found his footing in EDM before being recruited by Toledo in 2015.

‘Martin’ is the second single released in anticipation of MADLO,  and at first seems like less of a foray into the unknown than earlier release ‘Can’t Cool Me Down’. The guitars in the first half of the track are everything you’d expect from Car Seat Headrest, and the trappings of Toledo’s unfalteringly catchy songwriting shine throughout, set apart from other releases only by synthesised percussion set low in the mix. As the song draws on, the bridge falls away to stripped back drums and bass, heralding the introduction of a melodic trumpet solo that steers the track to its end, integrating jazz and pop influences in seamless fashion. 

This fusion of disparate elements is emblematic of Toledo’s progression as a songwriter; he has long had a penchant for constructing longer, convoluted songs from smaller distinctive elements. On this track he applies the principle in a more concise format (Twin Fantasy’s ‘Beach Life-In-Death’ is in three sections, each the length of a full song), and it pays off. ‘Martin’ is at once anthemic and adventurous, containing vestiges of Toledo’s typical dry style, but is ultimately a push by the band towards a fresh sound. Making a Door Less Open will be released on May 1st 2020.

‘Martin’ is available now via Matador Records

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