REVIEW: Car Seat Headrest @ The Royale 2/14

Photo by Zoe Salvucci

By Brittany Moura

Car Seat Headrest played a sold out show to an ever-so-adoring Royale crowd on the night of Valentine’s Day, along with fellow bandmates and openers Naked Giants. The band consisting of vocalist and master puppeteer Will Toledo, guitarist Ethan Ives, bassist Seth Dalby, and percussionist Andrew Katz, has been joined by Naked Giants to form some of the most powerful and cacophonous sounds coming out of the indie rock scene currently.

The opening song was a warmly-received surprise, the live debut of a brand new song called “Can’t Cool Me Down,” and even though the crowd couldn’t sing along, it didn’t stop them from throwing each other around in what seemed more like a loving group hug than a mosh. The song leaned towards a move groovy sound than what fans are used to from the band, but points towards a more eclectic and versatile update from their latest album, Twin Fantasy, and genuinely excited the superfans in the crowd.

After a few grateful words from Toledo, the band broke into, “Bodys,” arguably their most popular release to date, inciting a beautiful, drunken mass chaos, and as the title suggests, hundreds of jumping bodies screaming the words, “Don’t you realize our bodies could fall apart any second?”

One of the highlights of the show followed directly after, as they soared into “Cute Thing,” a heavy-hitting guitar jam which showcased each individual member’s chops, but also allowed the audience to see just how tight they are as a unit. For them, it is truly all about the music, as Toledo doesn’t need to be a flashy frontman, you get everything you desire from the way he half-groans and half-sings his to-the-point, relatable lyrics about sleeping naked next to the “cute thing,” only heightening the loved-up Valentine’s haze in the crowd.

After another new song and “Fill in the Blank,” they performed their classic medley of original classic, “Sober to Death,” which lead into “Powderfinger,” by the legendary Neil Young. They did the same mashup on one of their KEXP performances in May of 2018. This particular moment is what makes Car Seat Headrest feel like a real, collaborative band with equal importance placed on every member (whereas sometimes it can feel like Will Toledo’s solo project, which is fair, since it started out that way). Comparing this performance to their last in Boston, only a few months ago, they are definitely now a more unified collective.

Another highlight of the show was fan favorite, “Drunk Drivers/Killer Whales,” which quite literally sounds like Toledo giving a sermon of some of the most personal, yet important lyrics in rock’s current catalogue. The song swells, with really high peaks of the entire crowd pleading, “It doesn’t have to be like this,” and the sincerity of Toledo’s vocals makes you really believe in what he’s preaching. If I went to church, I’d choose the church of Car Seat Headrest any day. They make music perfectly appropriate for both Saturday nights and Sunday mornings, whether you’re feeling high or low. Take a listen to “Twin Fantasy” if you haven’t yet and make sure to catch them every time they’re in town, as they bring something fresh and exhilarating to what defines “rock music.” I genuinely feel like they represent the anxious — but still fighting — youth who want to be seen and heard, loud and clear.