From early lo-fi recordings to sprawling indie rock epics, we count down the 25 essential Car Seat Headrest songs from across Will Toledo’s discography.
As a member of the very exclusive ‘people with giant tattoos of Teens of Denial on their right arm’ club, this was not an easy task to be given. But it did make me very happy to reflect on the recurring themes and the inner system this band has built for itself throughout the years, and relisten to some of their songs (some of which have been fundamental to my brain development, some of which I hadn’t thought of in a long time) with a new perspective. It’s difficult to put them in a certain order and actually believe it. But take it more as a beginner’s guide for anyone interested in getting into Car Seat Headrest: these songs are what I consider to be the true essentials to understanding their work. Proceed with caution.
25) The Ending of Dramamine (How to Leave Town, 2014)
An essential song to understanding all of the recurring motifs and structures that will appear throughout the entire band’s discography. A 14-minute song with an almost 2-minute intro that slowly builds up from almost complete silence into a drum-filled chaos right at the end. With monologue-esque lyrics that reprise and parallel already iconic phrases from other songs (‘I was young, I was thin, I had money and I loved you’ / ‘So what? We’re young, we’re thin’ from ‘Bodys’), this song works like an encyclopaedia for everything the band is best known for.
24) Life Worth Missing (Making a Door Less Open, 2020)
In my opinion, this song has one of the most emotional and desperate deliveries Will Toledo’s voice has given in a song. A song that, just like what we can hear throughout this entire album, is full of doubt, anxiety and reflections about his entire life, the relationships he has built and what he has done to/for them. Makes me want to cry every time I listen to it.
23) Dreams Fall Hard (Nervous Young Man, 2013)
First in this list of many songs that tackle the subject of family, very consistent and important in Will Toledo’s lyricism since the beginning of his career. ‘Dreams Fall Hard’ is both a confession and an apology to his family sung as if he knew that they would never hear it, rehearsing and practising how this confession would go if he could actually talk to his family honestly about the secrets he has been keeping from them, secrets that haunt him in his sleep the more he tries to run away from them. Just heartbreaking.
22) It’s Only Sex (It’s Only Sex EP)
Unexpected classic from the only EP under Toledo’s sleeve. Most of the time Car Seat Headrest is remembered for the sad, world-shattering, half-hour-long songs (guilty), but their more silly and awkward side is also very worth paying attention to. This is a very relatable song about the fears and uncertainty surrounding sex as a young person that strays from the usual complex metaphors and symbolism we see in most of the band’s songs and takes a more straightforward and honest approach to the subject. Toledo even kind of raps in the song, which makes it an instant earworm. Please, Will, do that more often.
21) Fill in the Blank (Teens of Denial, 2016)
Maybe their catchiest song ever. Perfectly introduces the themes and the voice that will follow the entirety of the album, constantly being among the lines of: ‘I’m so mad at all of you and here are the ten thousand reasons for that. I also hate myself but that’s a problem for later’. God bless.
20) The Drum (My Back Is Killing Me Baby, 2011)
The song does an interesting thing of exploring one’s worst personality traits and habits by creating a character. This way, the voice tries to see himself from an outside perspective, as if he were describing someone else, to maybe understand himself and how what he is doing hurts others in a better way. This wasn’t until this point a common thing in Car Seat Headrest: as I’ve previously mentioned, Toledo’s lyricism has always been well known for the more confessional and testimonial side it has to it. Maybe in this song he was experimenting with incorporating characters and concepts into the songs, which he will later do a whole lot more of with Teens of Denial, The Scholars and of course 1 Trait Danger.
19) Knife in the Coffee (Nervous Young Man, 2013)
Although this is the last song on the two-hour-long album, I think this would be Car Seat Headrest’s theme song if bands could have one. Catchy and fun song that is basically Will Toledo explaining all of the reasons why he does music and needs to write to keep going. Also the title is a reference to ‘You’re So Vain’. What more could anyone ask for?
18) Overexposed (Enjoy) (Monomania, 2012)
The parallels and interpolation with ‘Sober to Death’ (which we will get to in a second) give me chills every time. This song is the best example of the more angry, petty and resentful side of Toledo’s lyricism, constantly contrasting with Twin Fantasy (which we will also get to in a second), Monomania’s predecessor, both admittedly being inspired by the same relationship. Don’t worry, you and me won’t be alone no more…
17) Big Jacket (Nervous Young Man, 2013)
In the same line as what I said about ‘It’s Only Sex’, ‘Big Jacket’ is also a song that strays from the usual overanalysable lyrics with many possible interpretations for a simpler and more earnest declaration of love. The voice in this song declares complete trust and need for his lover and lets them have all of his personal belongings, as a way of asking them for a lifetime together. He wants every single thing he has to become theirs, and is giving them up willingly and happily. One of my favourite love songs ever.
16) Something Soon (My Back Is Killing Me Baby, 2011)
Like ‘The Drum’, this song first appeared in MBIKMB and was reimagined in Teens of Style in 2015. A song that to me speaks of the most desperate parts of depression: needing help but not knowing where to go for it, the anger of feeling completely motionless and stuck in your own body and mind, unable to even help yourself first. The voice admits he needs something and he needs it now to get out of the state he is in, but he has no idea what it is or how to get it.
15) Deadlines (Hostile) (Making a Door Less Open, 2020)
For me this is one of those songs that has some kind of sex appeal to it, maybe because of its theme of forbidden attraction. A total powerhouse of rock inside the synth-filled world of MADLO with some of the sharpest, most present guitars we’ve heard from the band. One of the songs that really shows how much they benefited from becoming a full band instead of continuing as a solo project for Toledo.
14) Drunk Drivers/Killer Whales (Teens of Denial, 2016)
Great choice for the lead single of Teens of Denial. Captures the essence and themes of the album so perfectly. The pure frustration, anger and hopelessness that resonates throughout the entire project, the feeling of knowing there is something better out there but not having the strength to go looking for it. The pure screaming and hollering of the outro just gives it all away. Also worth checking out is the alternative version of this song made for TV performances.
13) Sober to Death (Twin Fantasy, 2011/2018)
Probably most people’s introduction to the band. This song gives birth to one of the most iconic and recurring leitmotifs of the band’s discography: ‘Don’t worry, you and me won’t be alone no more’. As seen in all of the songs involving this lyric (see: ‘Overexposed (Enjoy)’), ‘Sober to Death’ follows a voice that keeps putting his partner’s wellbeing over his own, convincing them that they can sort through long distance together and that everything will be fine, when it is evidently clear that this is not how he feels at all. Catchy guitar riff, a relationship that won’t admit that it’s hanging by a thread, what’s not to love?
12) 1937 State Park (Teens of Denial, 2016)
Ever since I first listened to it I felt an irresistible attraction to the intensity of Toledo’s voice in the chorus and the amount of bold, in-your-face statements the song is able to deliver in its 3:41 minutes of existence. ‘No one should ever have to look at themselves’ / ‘I didn’t want you to hear that shake in my voice, my pain is my own’ / ‘Don’t worry, I’m worrying for two, so don’t worry baby’. I really love the storytelling in this one. You can feel Will purging his own anger and frustration in his delivery of the chorus and the outro specifically. Just knocks me out.
11) There Must Be More Than Blood (Making a Door Less Open, 2020)
Back to the themes of family we went over earlier with ‘Dreams Fall Hard’, this song shows the same voice from the earlier days who sang about not being able to be his true self with his family in a more mature, reflective tone, still being unable to connect with them after so many years, on the verge of giving up trying. About this song Toledo said: ‘It’s a statement that is both optimistic and anxious at the same time. Ending with “there must be more than fear”. It’s not a certainty, but it’s trying to state that until it becomes the truth’. Also reminds me of ‘The Ending of Dramamine’ instrumentally which is a nice callback.
10) Cute Thing (Twin Fantasy, 2011/2018)
A lot to unpack on this one but my favourite part of it is all of the references to Toledo’s biggest influences in the second verse and bridge, and seeing how they change in both versions of the song. Frank Ocean, James Brown, Dan Bejar, John Entwistle and John Linnell (only one to pass the test of time and appear on both versions, fun fact) get shout-outs in ‘Cute Thing’, as Toledo’s way of showing gratitude to them and also how his references changed over the years, kind of giving the listener a guide on who to look for or blame for some of the changes made between recordings of Twin Fantasy. Also ‘Ana Ng’ is the best song of all time.
9) Nervous Young Inhumans (Twin Fantasy, 2011/2018)
An essential song to understanding the changes in both Twin Fantasies and Toledo’s songwriting evolution (or devolution, depending on your personal opinion). In the 2018 version, the original chorus and outro are completely changed. ‘You galvanistic young boy, you galvanistic young man, you galvanistic young inhuman’ changes to ‘You never lifted your voice, you never raised your hand, you never showed me your inhuman’. Both versions are looking for ways to describe and demand things from their partner, only in the newer version the demands seem more concrete and to the point than the first one. As if in 2011 Will was sort of ashamed of what he wanted from his partner (he even sounds like he is shaking from anxiety in the outro when he explains the concept of galvanism. Beautiful detail to me, not so much to him I guess).
8) Vincent (Teens of Denial, 2016)
One of my favourites in terms of storytelling specifically. This song entraps you from the beginning and throws you right in the middle of the chaos it’s talking about for you to go through it too. This and ‘Fill in the Blank’ are great as character introductions: concise, blunt, honest. Sounds like the moment you decide to start making fun of your own misery to see if it makes it better.
7) Bodys (Twin Fantasy, 2011/2018)
Anthem for the awkward. Played in my head all night long the first time I went out to a proper nightclub. Cathartic, chaotic, just a beautiful song about learning not to give a fuck, say every cheesy compliment that crosses your mind, let go of your bones no matter how stiff they are and just have a good time for once. Works like a self-help book if you want.
6) Twin Fantasy (Those Boys) (Twin Fantasy, 2011/2018)
There could not be a more epic closer to the most important album in the band’s discography. The voice finally comes to peace with the breakup and reflects on everything that he and his partner have lived together, grateful for the version of each other that will always be only theirs in spite of everything, documented forever in the lyrics of the album. He accepts that just because their relationship is over, doesn’t mean their connection wasn’t real. ‘This is a version of me and you that can exist outside of everything else / And if it is just a fantasy, then everything can happen from here’. A sunrise turned into song.
5) The Ballad of Costa Concordia (Teens of Denial, 2016)
The climax of Teens of Denial, in my opinion. The character has given up on understanding and helping himself; he feels his problems are chronic and he just has to live with them as they get progressively worse. The hopeful feeling of ‘It doesn’t have to live like this’ we heard him scream in ‘Drunk Drivers’ is gone for good. The spoken word turned into spoken screaming and crying hysterically, with the support of overwhelming guitars, drums and piano that ascend in perfect crescendo with the vocals are just the nail in the coffin of whoever listens to this for the first time. Made me want to drive off a cliff at the very least.
4) The Gun Song-No Trigger Version (Nervous Young Man, 2013)
I think this would be a perfect introduction to the whole ‘Car Seat Headrest +10-minute-long sad songs’ for anyone interested. It wasn’t for me, but I hope it had been. On a first listen it does seem like a typical devastating breakup song like most of the ones on this list, but this one really has some great petty humour hidden in between the painful and sad lyrics. ‘I’ve been recording this whole fucking thing / Now you can never use the same chord changes again’. Sometimes I avoid this song just because of how sad I think it will make me, but it really goes flying by and I end up laughing most of the time. It manages to exploit its full potential while still being dynamic and never losing your attention.
3) Cosmic Hero (Teens of Denial, 2016)
Every tongue that rises against the one-minute-long trumpet intro shall fall. Very alike ‘Costa Concordia’ in the construction of the buildup: the repressed anger starts coming out very slowly until it fully consumes everything and then goes down again towards the end. But instead in this one it feels like the character singing hasn’t fully come to terms with his own faults and is trying to make it someone else’s problem, giving a moral lecture he doesn’t realise he needs for himself. Guitars and drums are intertwined in a particularly beautiful way throughout the entire song. The repetition of ‘Fuck! / Fuck you!’ as a kind of ad-lib in contrast to ‘It’ll be alright, it’ll be alright…’ is just the cherry on top.
2) Famous Prophets (Stars) (Twin Fantasy, 2018)
The true hydrogen bomb in this entire discography. The whole album is the purge of this relationship from the voice’s system, but this is where it fully explodes. The moment the voice realises that his relationship is actually over and there’s no going back and is struggling to accept it, filled with doubts and regrets. We hear him slowly start to come to terms with his heartbreak and the fact that he will have to handle it all on his own, all of the love and the effort he put into keeping the relationship alive dying in his hands. The peace he is struggling to find in this song will lead to the entirety of ‘Twin Fantasy (Those Boys)’.
1) Beach Life in Death (Twin Fantasy, 2011/2018)
I called some of these songs ‘one of my favourites in terms of storytelling’. That’s because this is my favourite. Feels like listening to 5 different songs put into one in the best way possible, or watching a movie that you will never fully understand but being completely fine with that. I still think I’ve never heard anything that resembles this and never will (not accepting recommendations either). From the beginning you are put in the position of a therapist or a very supportive friend that doesn’t know how to react to someone’s mental collapse happening in real time in front of them. It’s straightforward and abstract at the same time, measuring both sides with perfect precision, knowing exactly when to hold your hand and when to let you go figure it out on your own. Perfect song.