While the band have returned to the sound they’re known for, it’s in conjunction with a grand rock opera, weaving in a fictional setting and songs written from the point of view of characters rather than frontman Will Toledo.
The third and final single from the album, ‘The Catastrophe (Good Luck With That, Man)’, is a bouncy and energetic slice of power pop. After two singles that come in between eight and ten minutes a piece, ‘The Catastrophe’ comes in at a (at least comparably) brisk five-and-a-half minutes. Written from the perspective of several members of a fictional band, the song's structure walks from a mountain of different musical ideas but still finds space to craft catchy hooks.
Lyrically, the song makes reference to the Roman Empire, the Old Testament, organic personality disorder, and The Edsel’s 1961 single ‘Rama Lama Ding Dong’ (potentially a twin reference to Le Tigre and their 1999 track ‘Deceptacon’). It’s the typical songwriting trope of using massive ideas to describe a typical modern life, and it makes for an engrossing listen.
With its mesh of acoustic and distorted electric guitars, punchy drums and Toledo’s unrefined yet captivating vocal delivery, ‘The Catastrophe’ is an anthemic and catchy tune that reaffirms Car Seat Headrest’s spot as one of indie rock’s strongest acts today.
Check out ‘The Catastrophe (Good Luck With That, Man)’ and ‘The Scholars’ now, available via Matador Records.
