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Car Seat Headrest's 'Twin Fantasy' Is A 'New' Album Viewed Through Rearview Mirrors

Will Toledo and his project Car Seat Headrest are stepping into some old shoes, having remade and reimagined the 2011 album (and "Bandcamp masterpiece") Twin Fantasy.

To introduce the makeover, Will stepped into the role of video director for the first time on "Nervous Young Inhumans." He wrote to tell me that his ideas for directing this video came from frustrations of previous shoots.

"I always wished we would spend less time building up a narrative and more time crafting shots and allowing for spontaneity on set. For my first time directing, I decided to do something super simple so that we could focus on getting material that looked good. I think it looks pretty good."

It not only looks good, but it's playfulness adds levity to the tension inherent in these teenaged tunes.

In its original conception, "Nervous Young Inhumans" — with its thickly layered guitars captured on a cheap laptop — buried its lyrics, and subsequently the multidimensional emotions within. Now, with both time, money and a seven-piece band, Will Toledo's Twin Fantasy do-over is an unveiling of sorts, a clearer examination of being a teen and trying to understand his own muddled emotions. On the opening lines for this song he was looking back on himself:

You should've seen my cursive back then

Every letter was above the line

My Ps and Qs raised their stems

So nothing crossed beneath

I'm a little better now

Now, he's looking back at looking back at himself. Will is still growing up, but with a better understanding of what he wants and a better ability to address his desires.

The newly recorded version of Twin Fantasy will be out on Matador Records February 16 and followed by a tour of Australia, Europe and some select cities on the West Coast.

Twin Fantasy track listing:

  • My Boy (Twin Fantasy)
  • 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)
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    In 1988, a determined Bob Boilen started showing up on NPR's doorstep every day, looking for a way to contribute his skills in music and broadcasting to the network. His persistence paid off, and within a few weeks he was hired, on a temporary basis, to work for All Things Considered. Less than a year later, Boilen was directing the show and continued to do so for the next 18 years.