Car Seat Headrest turned a lot of ears with their 2015 album Teens Of Style.  We’ve been sitting on the sidelines waiting to hear the next, post-bedroom recording before making our call.  We didn’t have to wait too long. CSH has just released the first song off their impending, full-band second album for Matador entitled Teens Of Denial.  The song is titled Vincent, and indeed its full-band sound and onslaught are simply thrilling. We love in particular the combo of Toledo’s excellent Mark E. Smith-like growl with the hard-charging Nirvana-esque sounds, coupled with the full-stop and horns at 2:10 and after. With its cryptic lyrics (Toledo is apparently a follower of REM’s Michael Stipe, so what do you expect?), it’s helpful that leader Will Toledo has explained that Vincent is: “Both for and about parties.  Fighting to hold one’s place in the crowd, to hold one’s drink. Shouting to be heard, but what’s the point, no one’s saying anything worth listening to. Wanting to leave, not wanting to go home. Music is too loud.” The song’s lyrics are at bottom.

The video below (which, without a drop, left us with a hangover) features a “radio-ready” version of the song, trimmed down from the nearly eight minute version on the album.  Vincent bodes incredibly well for Teens of Denial.

Vincent:

“And half the time I want to go home
And half the time I want to go home

For the past year I’ve been living in a town
That gets a lot of tourists in the summer months
They come and they stay for a couple days
But hey, I’m living here every day

I don’t need the complications
I’m just in it for the beating
It’s almost a point of pride
They say that it doesn’t happen that often
Pure sadism
Pure sadism
Pure sadism
Pure sadism

I find it harder to speak
When someone else is listening

In the back of a medicine cabinet
You can find your life story
And your future in the side effects
I haven’t played guitar in months
My strings all broke

They got a portrait by Van Gogh
On the Wikipedia page
For clinical depression
Well, it helps to describe it
Yeah, it helps to describe it
Yeah, it helps to describe it
Yeah, it helps to describe it
Yeah, it helps to describe it…

I don’t have the strength
(I don’t have the time)
I poured myself a drink
(I told myself a lie)
You know I’ve worried
(You know I’ve tried)
Don’t you know I’m not strong?
(Don’t you know I’m not kind?)
Someone’s getting lucky
(Someone’s calling the cops)
Someone take me away
(Someone make it all stop)
I had a bright tomorrow
(I spent it all today)
Now I am silent at last
Now I have nothing to say

If I’m being honest with myself
I haven’t been honest with myself

It must be hard to speak in a foreign language
Intoxicado
Intoxicado
Intoxicado
Intoxicado
Intoxicado
Intoxicado

I find it easier to sleep
(And half the time I want to go home)
When I’m not holding the noise machine
(And half the time I want to go home)
And half the time, I’m like THIS –
They’ll send in Matt. CAPtain Trash!

I don’t have the strength
(I don’t have the time)
I poured myself a drink
(I told myself a lie)
You know I’ve worried
(You know I’ve tried)
Don’t you know I’m not strong?
(Don’t you know I’m not kind?)
Someone’s getting lucky
(Someone’s calling the cops)
Someone takes me away
(Someone makes it all stop)
I had a bright tomorrow
(I spent it all today)
Now I am silent at last
Now I have nothing to say”