Beginning as a solo recording project by Toledo in 2010, Car Seat Headrest self-released 12 albums on the music platform Bandcamp, before signing to Matador Records in 2015. Car Seat Headrest would begin touring as a full band the following year.
History
2010–2014: Lo-fi and solo releases, from 1 to How to Leave Town
Car Seat Headrest began as the solo project of singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Will Toledo (born William Barnes) shortly after he graduated high school. Toledo had previously released music under the alias Nervous Young Men, but after struggling to establish an audience, he decided to change tactics, choosing to try and release more experimental songs anonymously. Toledo chose the name "Car Seat Headrest" as he would often record the vocals to his early albums in the back seat of his car for privacy.
Throughout the summer of 2010, Toledo released his first four albums under the Car Seat Headrest name: 1, 2, 3, and 4. 1 and 2 incorporated less traditional song structures, with stream-of-consciousness lyrics, whereas 3 and 4 would begin to cement his lo-fi indie rock style. Following the numbered albums, Toledo began attending classes at Virginia Commonwealth University, releasing the Sunburned Shirts EP during his first semester. The Sunburned Shirts EP would later be partially combined with his fifth LP, 5, to create his first titled album, My Back Is Killing Me Baby, released in March 2011. Songs culled from 5 would later appear on the b-sides compilation album Little Pieces of Paper with "No" Written on Them.
After a difficult and lonely semester at VCU, Toledo transferred to the College of William & Mary, where he would release his next project, Twin Fantasy, a concept album centered on a relationship he was in at the time. Twin Fantasy would later be followed up by 2012's Monomania and Starving While Living EP.
Around this time, Toledo began performing live shows with fellow students Katie Wood, Austin Ruhf, and Christian Northover, recording and releasing a short live album in July 2013 entitled Live at WCWM: Car Seat Headrest at the university's studio. Toledo would release his next project the following month; a two-hour long double album entitled Nervous Young Man. Three of the songs, and the title of the album, were taken from his original project, Nervous Young Men, but had been heavily reworked and re-recorded. Released alongside Nervous Young Man, for those who paid $5 or more, was the outtakes compilation album Disjecta Membra.
Toledo's final solo release was 2014's How to Leave Town, an hour long EP with heavy electronic instrumentation and more ambitious song structures.
2015–2017: Matador Records, Teens of Style and Teens of Denial
Ethan Ives.
In September 2015, Car Seat Headrest announced on Facebook that he had signed an album deal with Matador Records. Toledo, who had recently graduated and moved to Seattle, recruited bassist Jacob Bloom and drummer Andrew Katz through Craigslist to record and tour his next album. In October 2015, Car Seat Headrest released the compilation album Teens of Style, their first to not be self-released exclusively via Bandcamp. Shortly after the album's release, Bloom left the group to attend medical school, and was replaced by bassist Ethan Ives.
Ives played bass throughout most of the recordings for the band's following release, but would later switch to guitar and other instruments, with Seth Dalby taking over on bass. Ives and Dalby were later cemented in these positions during live shows and future releases. The new album, created with traditional studio processes, Teens of Denial, was released on May 20, 2016. The album received universal acclaim, and brought the band a new wave of popularity.
In 2017, Car Seat Headrest released an alternate mix of their single, "War Is Coming (If You Want It)" through Bandcamp for one day, with profits going to the Transgender Law Center. The original mix of the track was released ten days later.
On December 13, 2017, the band released a re-recorded version of "Beach Life-In-Death", the second track on Twin Fantasy, through Spotify without prior announcement. This sparked fan rumors that the album would be re-recorded and released the following year. On December 27, 2017, an Amazon listing detailing a re-recorded version of Twin Fantasy was found by fans, and subsequently uploaded to the Car Seat Headrest subreddit. This was followed up by a listing on SRCVinyl.com with the date February 16, 2018.
2018–2019: Twin Fantasy (Face to Face) and Commit Yourself Completely
On January 9, 2018, Matador Records formally announced the release of the re-recording, entitled Twin Fantasy (Face to Face), alongside a re-release of the original album. Twin Fantasy (Face to Face) was released via Matador on February 16. The original, which has been re-titled Twin Fantasy (Mirror to Mirror), was released on vinyl as a part of Record Store Day on April 21. On February 15, 2018, the band released a cover of "Fallen Horses" by Smash Mouth, who returned the favor by covering "Something Soon". Around the same time, they began touring with fellow Seattle-based band, Naked Giants, as a part of the group's expanded live lineup.
In August 2018, when asked about new material, Toledo confirmed that he was “demoing out stuff in Ableton,” adding “there might be some stuff that surprises people who only know us as a rock band, but I don’t think it will come as a surprise to people who are checking out all the deep cuts.” In January 2019, Andrew Katz confirmed the band was recording new music through a video uploaded on Instagram.
Following the tease of new music, the band began experimenting with new material at various live shows in December 2018, debuting the tracks "Weightlifters", "Hollywood", "Stop Lying To Me", and "You Know There's Someone Out There", soon followed by "Can't Cool Me Down" in February and March 2019 performances. All were officially released on the next album except for "Stop Lying To Me" and "You Know There's Someone Out There".
On June 12, 2019, Car Seat Headrest announced a new live album titled Commit Yourself Completely, featuring official recordings of performances from the Twin Fantasy tour from 2018. It was released the following week on June 17.
2020–present: Making a Door Less Open
On February 26, 2020, Car Seat Headrest announced their first studio album consisting of wholly new material since 2016's Teens of Denial, Making a Door Less Open. This announcement coincided with the release of "Can't Cool Me Down", the first single and second track off the album, and a release date of May 1, 2020. It marks a stylistic divergence from previous material, Toledo describing the album as containing elements of EDM, hip hop, futurism, doo-wop, soul and rock and roll. Three more singles were released to promote the album between March and April of that year: "Martin", "Hollywood" and "There Must Be More Than Blood". The release also coincided with the introduction of Trait, an alternative persona of Toledo's, featured prominently wearing a modified gas mask with blinking LED lights for eyes. The character had originally been created for the group's "comedic" side project, 1 Trait Danger, featuring Toledo alongside drummer Andrew Katz.
Making a Door Less Open was released with three separate versions across different formats: vinyl, CD and streaming, each with variations in track-list and specific musical elements. The album received a mixed reaction from fans, which pointed out the many divergences from the band's previous works, but received an overall score of 77 on review aggregate site Metacritic. Toledo noted that he and the band were working on a companion album for their latest release, while also looking for ways to improve the Trait mask to incorporate it into live performances.
Style
AllMusic biographer Mark Deming wrote that Car Seat Headrest created "moody and introspective lo-fi pop tunes that are melodic but structurally ambitious at once." Writing for Pitchfork, Jeremy Gordon stated that on Teens of Denial, "Will Toledo reaffirms that he is ahead of the pack as an imaginative singer-songwriter, capable of crafting dynamic indie rock." Ian Cohen of Pitchfork also described Toledo's music as "dense, confounding music that most often captures the giddy thrill of having access to recording equipment, of finally put a sound to the voice in your head."
Car Seat Headrest's influences include Radiohead, Pink Floyd, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, Daniel Johnston, Destroyer, Kendrick Lamar, Frank Ocean, Leonard Cohen, of Montreal, Modest Mouse, Neutral Milk Hotel, Sufjan Stevens, Swans, They Might Be Giants, Why?, R.E.M., the Who, Nirvana, the Blackout, Neil Diamond, William Onyeabor, the Clash, the Cars, James Brown, DEVO, Queen, Rod Stewart, and Green Day.
portrait of the artist as a young fag
Car Seat Headrest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
From using the too hot touchpad
Of my MacBook Pro
As I casually scroll through
The fetish based forum
Of which I am an active member
I promise I will never use the term anthro-fiction
When describing your body of work
Words like rad or awesome or neat
Because you always work on the same night
And I need something else to live a life
I'm making a fortune, painting you a portrait of the artist
While I'm waiting for these updates to upload
Let me talk for just a minute about your
Use of the symbolic qualitative
I haven't been outside since last week
When I went to the beach
Where I spent the whole time
Looking at the ocean
Wishing it was warmer
Where I spent the whole time
Looking for a stronger wire to signal
Because cellular net only had two bars
And was very unreliable
Because you always work on the same night
And I need something else to live a life
I'm making a fortune, painting you a portrait of the artist
When I was a kid going into elementary school
Right before I went into elementary school
I was afraid of everything
I couldn't listen to the radio, I was afraid of the radio
Now that I'm going into college it's like the exact same thing
I am literally becoming afraid of everything
Because you always work on the same night
And I need something else to live a life
I'm making you a fortune, painting you a portrait of the artist
In "Portrait of the Artist as a Young Fag," Car Seat Headrest's frontman Will Toledo touches on themes of loneliness, creativity, and sexuality through the lens of an online fetish forum. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a person experiencing a profound sense of isolation as they spend hours browsing fetish forums on their MacBook, while simultaneously grappling with their own creative impulses. The use of a MacBook as a central metaphor for this sense of disconnection draws on the ubiquity of technology in modern life and further emphasizes the feelings of detachment and emptiness present in the song.
Toledo's lyrics also explore the complexities of creative inspiration and the sacrifices one must make in pursuit of artistic vision. The lines "Because you always work on the same night / And I need something else to live a life / I'm making a fortune, painting you a portrait of the artist" underscore the tension between artistic inspiration and the demands of daily life. The reference to "painting a portrait" represents the struggle to capture and articulate the intricacies of human experience that are often lost in the mundane humdrum of everyday existence.
One of the central themes of the song is the sense of alienation and marginalization experienced by its protagonist. The use of language is key here, with Toledo employing a mix of formal and informal language to highlight the character's discomfort and uncertainty. The reference to "anthro-fiction" and "superlative words" serves to underline the character's struggle to connect with both themselves and others on a deeper level.
Line by Line Meaning
My fingerprints are getting burned off
My fingers are feeling a burning sensation due to excessive use of the too hot touchpad of my MacBook Pro.
From using the too hot touchpad
The touchpad of my MacBook Pro is hotter than usual, causing discomfort to my fingers.
Of my MacBook Pro
The touchpad that is causing the discomfort is situated on my MacBook Pro, where I am browsing a fetish-based forum.
As I casually scroll through
While scrolling through the forum, I am doing so in a relaxed and nonchalant manner, without any apparent concern for the content.
The fetish based forum
The forum I am browsing is centered around specific and particular sexual interests.
Of which I am an active member
I am a contributing and engaged participant in the forum's community.
I promise I will never use the term anthro-fiction
I pledge to refrain from using a specific term, anthro-fiction, to describe another's work.
When describing your body of work
I am referring to a particular entity's work, and resolve to avoid using the above mentioned term when doing so.
I promise I will never stop over using superlative
I am committing to continue the excessive use of words like rad, awesome, or neat, when appropriate.
Words like rad or awesome or neat
I intend to keep using words such as rad, awesome, and neat as they accurately express my feelings towards certain things.
Because you always work on the same night
Because the individual referred to consistently works during the same night, I am seeking alternatives to occupy myself during those times.
And I need something else to live a life
I require additional stimuli and activities beyond my current routine to have a fulfilling life.
I'm making a fortune, painting you a portrait of the artist
I am generating significant monetary compensation by creating a piece that represents the musical artist in question.
While I'm waiting for these updates to upload
As I am waiting for files to upload to the internet, I am taking the opportunity to address a particular matter.
Let me talk for just a minute about your
I would like to take a brief moment to discuss a particular aspect of the individual's work.
Use of the symbolic qualitative
I am referring to the individual's approach using symbols and qualitative language in their work.
I haven't been outside since last week
I have not ventured outdoors since a week ago.
When I went to the beach
One week ago, the only occasion I left the house for was a trip to the beach.
Where I spent the whole time
During my time at the beach, I dedicated the entire duration of my visit to a specific activity.
Looking at the ocean
The activity I engaged in while at the beach was solely gazing upon the vast expanse of the ocean before me.
Wishing it was warmer
During my time at the beach, I wished the temperature was slightly warmer than it was.
Looking for a stronger wire to signal
During my time outdoors, I was looking for a more potent signal to use to connect to the internet.
Because cellular net only had two bars
Since the signal strength of my cellular network was only registering at two bars, I was struggling to connect to the internet with ease.
And was very unreliable
Additionally, the reliability of the network was low, making it difficult to browse.
When I was a kid going into elementary school
As a young child ready to begin school, I was experiencing several anxieties and uncertainties.
Right before I went into elementary school
Just before starting my primary education, I was undergoing several issues and emotions.
I was afraid of everything
I experienced a pervasive and omnipresent fear that permeated all aspects of my life.
I couldn't listen to the radio, I was afraid of the radio
The fear that I experienced had specific manifestations, such as being unable to listen to the radio without experiencing fear and anxiety.
Now that I'm going into college it's like the exact same thing
As I prepare to enter college, the same feelings of apprehension and fear have arisen once again.
I am literally becoming afraid of everything
I am experiencing a genuine fear and anxiety towards everything in my life.
Making you a fortune, painting you a portrait of the artist
I am creating a work of art that represents the individual in question and earning significant financial compensation from it.
Contributed by Abigail H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@alanmalin4431
[Verse 1:]
My fingerprints are getting burned off
From using the too hot touchpad
Of my MacBook Pro
As I casually scroll through
The fetish-based forum
Of which I am an active member
I promise I will never use the term anthro-fiction
When describing your body of work
I promise I will never stop overusing superlative words
Like rad or awesome or neato
[Chorus:]
Because you always work on Thursday night
And I need something else to analyze
I'm making a fortune, painting you a portrait of the artist
[Verse 2:]
While we're waiting for these updates to upload
Let me talk for just a minute about your youth
Of the symbolic father figure
I haven't been outside since last week
When I went to the beach
Where I spent the whole time
Looking at the ocean wishing it was warmer
Where I spent the whole time
Looking for a stronger wireless signal
Because cellular net only had two bars
And was very unreliable
[Chorus:]
Because you always work on Thursday night
And I need something else to analyze
I'm making a fortune, painting you a portrait of the artist
[Verse 3 (Spoken):]
When I was a kid going into elementary school
Right before I went into elementary school
I was afraid of everything
Like, I couldn't listen to the radio; I was afraid of the radio
And now that I'm going into college it's like the exact same thing:
I am literally becoming afraid of everything, and it's-
[Chorus:]
Because you always work on Thursday night
And I need something else to analyze
I'm making a fortune, painting you a portrait of the artist
@lunchmonkey
my fingerprints are getting burned off
from using the too hot touchpad
of my MacBook Pro
as I casually scroll through
the fetish-based forum
of which I am an active member
I promise I will never use the term anthro-fiction
when describing your body of work
I promise I will never stop overusing superlative words
like rad or awesome or neato
because you always work on thursday night
and I need something else to analyze
I'm making a fortune, painting you a portrait of the artist
while we're waiting for these updates to upload
let me talk for just a minute about your youth
of the symbolic father figure
I haven't been outside since last week
when I went to the beach
where I spent the whole time
looking at the ocean wishing it was warmer
where I spent the whole time
looking for a stronger wireless signal
because cellular net only had two bars
and was very unreliable
[2nd chorus]
when I was a kid going into elementary school
right before I went into elementary school
I was afraid of everything
like, I couldn't listen to the radio; I was afraid of the radio
and now that I'm going into college it's like the exact same thing
I am literally becoming afraid of everything, and it's-
[3rd chorus]
@JN-nu7ld
I like how songs like these talk about a relationship or depression and climate change and it has a title like "old ballsacks don't write new songs at 3:32pm"
@cjscarff6453
I agree
@pumpkinuser2624
Yes
@apb_134
Id listen to that song
@RamenNamen991
I mean, that sounds like a chapbook title of funky prose poetry to me. So that's a perfect correlation lol
@melon2point082
If i ever write a song I'm %100 stealing that
@user-yw8tg8hw7j
this is why i can’t tell people my music taste
@corg_9939
I was already going to like this compliment as it was both correct and also hurt - then I saw your snufkin pfp and decided this needed as much support as it could physically get <3
@amovy031
i went to a vinyl store and had to ask the guy working there if they had car seat headrest. most shameful moment of my life
@Tangiiness
did they?