Carseat Headrest - Twin Fantasy
Twin Fantasy is the quintessential underground record. Not only did it captivate the hearts and ears of internet music boards of early 2010’s, but it garnished enough attention to alleviate the artist to higher places. Its success was completely warranted.
The highlight of Twin Fantasy is without a doubt Beach Life-In-Death. It goes without saying that Twin Fantasy soars highest in the composition category, at least for the first half of the album. The song is magnificent; each section is memorable and pieced together effortlessly. The album wouldn’t rate as highly with its absence. Lyrically, Will Toledo reached his peak on Twin Fantasy as well. The lyrics were heartfelt and personal while simultaneously sounding harmonious. Furthermore, the reoccurring breaking of the fourth-wall worked in favor for the atmosphere throughout the record. The standouts are clear; Stop Smoking, Sober to Death and the previously mentioned song all contribute to one of the strongest three-track combos in rock. Furthermore, the last song Sober to Death completely nails its dynamically playful end section.
Compositionally, the remaining album is not as strong. It’s consistently enjoyable, though it fails to achieve the emotional highs and stylistic marvels of the first half; moreover, it’s typical of indie-rock. It often sounds like the lyrics came first, such as the rambling second half of Cute Thing and furthermore into High to Death. Famous Prophets continues the trend with its obnoxious rambling and lame storytelling, as does the closer Twin Fantasty (Those Boys). Suffice to say, the first half of Twin Fantasy is an 8/10, whereas the second half barely raises beyond a 5/10. It’s a self-indulgent mess. One should delete every track after Bodys to truly enjoy the album.
For those listening to Carseat Headrest for the first time in the 2020’s; do yourself a favor and avoid the updated 2018 mix. While the production has a notable bump in quality; gone is emotion and authenticity. The original album achieved what most lo-fi indie records in the two decades have failed to achieve; its dogshit production enhanced the experience. The updated version was tacky and did not feel genuine in its delivery. Nonetheless, Twin Fantasy is a landmark record. A must for every underground collection. It’s a shame the second half almost kills it.
Great
Listen to it here:
Carseat Headrest - Twin Fantasy
