If you're just discovering Car Seat Headrest, 'Twin Fantasy (Face to Face)' is the perfect way to start listening. The songs were written and recorded back in 2011 and it's the release that fueled his cult following on Internet forums and social media. That attention from that Bandcamp release is what eventually landed the young and prolific Will Toledo a record deal with Matador Records and multiple tours. While the original release was his sixth album to be shared over a two-year period, it's a way for us all to go back to the beginning with Toledo.

For an artist who built his career from creating bedroom recordings, the re-recording of an album might seem like creative blasphemy. The lo-fi charm of 'Teens of Style' and 'Teens of Denial' was celebrated by fans of Pavement and the golden era of indie rock. So, when Toledo shared that he was moving his DIY aesthetic from the back seat to the studio, it might have gone in a completely different sonic direction than his previous work. In the end, the album strikes the perfect balance between his past and future as an artist with more access to other musicians and studios.

'Twin Fantasy' is an even better version of an album that Car Seat Headrest fans already considered Toledo's best work. Like a painter working tirelessly on the same scene, he managed to improve upon songs that delve into the depression and heartbreak from his teen years. The question you're left with after comparing the original album and the new release (which come bundled in the deluxe edition), is whether Will Toledo will continue mining his past on the next release.

Car Seat Headrest's 'Twin Fantasy (Face to Face)' is out now on Matador Records.

Resources

Car Seat Headrest - Official Site