Twin Fantasy – Carseat Headrest – Album Review

Preview
Carseat Headrest is a relatively underground band due to the fact that they’re alternative/indie rock. For years, Will Toledo (Singer and Founder of CSHR) made albums trying to perfect his music and capture an audience. Finally, in 2011 he did it, his masterpiece was born: Twin Fantasy. While other artists go with the flow of current music trends, Will decided to go experimental, which is very prominent in the album. The question I think everyone has thought is, how does it compare to other albums in the same genre/type of music like ‘Nevermind’ by Nirvana?

Track List

My Boy
Beach Life-In-Death
Stop Smoking (We love you)
Sober to Death
Nervous Young Inhumans
Bodys
Cute Thing
High to Death
Famous Prophets (Stars)
Twin Fantasy (Those Boys)

Twin Fantasy

‘My Boy’
This album starts off with ‘My Boy’ which starts off slow and calm, it soon hits it off to the loud indie rock the rest of the album is known for. It shows off the experimental and rock aspects that Twin Fantasy is known for. This alone projects good album planning and song placement.

‘Beach Life-In-Death’
The next song ‘Beach Life-In-Death’ is a very loud rock song with a truly upbeat tune and singing in minor key to match the more melancholy lyrics. The combination of upbeat rock music and emotional lyrics elaborates on why this album is so unique from many others before it. This song is also the second longest track Will has ever made, with it standing at 11 minutes long.
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‘Stop Smoking (We Love you)’
Further on, you come across ‘Stop Smoking’ which is a more homemade sounding track with lots of acoustic guitar in the background, in contrast to their usual hard electric noise. This song comes across as a personal message to someone close to will, a track we can never truly understand the story behind without Will.

‘Sober to Death’
The next track ‘Sober to Death’ was truly one of my personal favorites. It has the experimental aspects of the rest of the album, such as voice distortion, experimental guitar sounds, and other more obscure instruments, but keeps the traditional indie rock sound. This song’s lyrics are truly a poem to behold. It shows off the truly beautiful vocals behind Will, and has amazing guitar solos to keep the flow of the track going. This track has a very fast upbeat pace with a truly moving story. All in all, it’s like riding a train to freedom.

‘Nervous Young Inhuman’
‘Nervous Young Inhumans’ was truly a passion track by Will, due to the sheer amount of experimental aspects. Almost the entire song is unique with its lyrics, and features their famous lead guitar. This song sings about Will’s feelings whilst making this album and the times before, it elaborates on his feelings from his distant past and being on tour for over a year. He has an actual poem at the end, it describes his thoughts and emotions of the current moment, only joined by the bass guitar. The poem is truly emotional.

‘Bodys’
Their extreme, all experimental piece ‘Bodys’ shows off their adept use of experimental musical props and instruments. In this song, even the guitars are experimented with and have a truly unique sound. This song is also very lyric heavy, with Will making jokes throughout the track about his experience he describes in the song.

‘Cute Thing’
The true masterpiece of their album ‘Cute Thing’ is their heavy Indie Rock song. This song focuses primarily on the drums, lead guitar, and Will’s vocals. The song starts off like a car getting ready to shoot off as it builds and builds, then all of a sudden shoots off like a rocket. This song projects what Will wants to be, his insecurities, his goals, his mistakes. The song is truly a masterpiece due to the properly timed ups and downs throughout the song. The dynamics and changing of keys truly throws you for a joy ride like you are really in that car that shot off.

‘High to Death’
Every album has to have a slower song, and this album is no different. With ‘High to Death’ he brings in the traditional indie sound with slow paced lyrics and soft instrumentals. The song picks up about a quarter way in with its complementary experimental instrumental sound. It doesn’t ever speed up throughout the track, and keeps it slow and calm for the entirety of the track. However, this song feels like a filler song.

‘Famous Prophets’
The longest track Will has ever produced ‘Famous Prophets’ is a 16 minute long track with multiple verses throughout the song. This track starts off quiet and low like a subtle sound of a train passing on a summer night, then all of a sudden Will comes in with his unforgettable vocals. He makes this a truly melancholy song with the lyrics and aesthetic the track produces. Halfway through, it cuts to their typical loud indie rock sound, almost drowning Wills’ vocals out, only to fade to his vocals back again. This continues for the entirety of the track on repeat. The track focuses heavily on Will’s emotions and vocals with his various lines forming a chord. This song is a journey to listen to, but if you’re willing to go on it, then it is worth the listen.

‘Twin Fantasy’
The star of the album, ‘Twin Fantasy’ is the finale to wrap the entire album up like a ribbon on a present. It brings together all the experimental, indie, rock, and vocals together for one final act. This song is suspenseful, calm, exciting, and emotional all at the same time. Twin Fantasy brings together what the rest of the album was trying to say, forming like how a sentence comes from grammar and words. The song fades out with the taste of experimental sound Will pushed through the entire album, only to end in white static.

Overview
This album is unique all throughout. It gives you insight into Will Toledo’s mind, personality, and creativity. It shows you the true extent of which he is willing to go for his album and fans. The album is nothing like any other, and truly cannot be compared to another album appropriately. In addition, the enjoyment, excitement, and emotions I had while listening to it was nothing short of immaculate.