Can’t Cool Me Down – Car Seat Headrest

Album: Can’t Cool Me Down (Single)

Artist: Car Seat Headrest

Genre: #Indie #rock

Sub-Genres: #lofi, #garagerock, lo-fi #pop

Label: Matador

Description:

Typical of Car Seat Headrest, their new single Can’t Cool Me Down features a groovy bass line and pulsing beat. This song also features piano, xylophone or a similar instrument, and some synthetic sounds and beats that add a new layer of complexity to their style that I haven’t heard in their work before. The pulsing bass line and beat also give the listener a feeling of time passing in the background. Even though the song is over 5 minutes long, similar to some of their longer songs, it feels like the exact right length for the song.

I really enjoy how the song starts off with a simple arrangement of piano, bass, drums, and vocals and slowly adds layers of complexity that build throughout the song in segments. Staying true to their style in their past albums, Will Toledo’s vocals are grainy and almost un-enunciated giving the song a raw feel. The lyrics illustrate a feeling of confusion referenced by the first line “Schizophrenia dreaming” and the fragmented images and feelings described mimic how some dreams can be remembered. The synthesized sounds in the instrumental segment closing out the song build on the dream theme.

Sounds Like: 

(Sandy) Alex G

The Microphones

Naked Giants

Reviewer’s Name: Haley Williams

Date of Review: 5 March 2020