Twin Fantasy

As I've written over 200 letters now, I have to admit there are a few I wish I could go back and rewrite. I still think I'm far from perfect, and in fact that's why I keep writing these letters (other than I do actually find them fun, a good habit to have, and I enjoy the feeling of accomplishment when they're each done).

I can think of a few right off that I'd redo: the album review of Waxahatchee's Out In The Storm, the beer review from Down The Road Brewing (it was that strange Strawberry Rhubarb BerlinerWeiss that I should have just passed on), and my Free Form Friday about Obamacare from early 2017 (because I lost a follower after that one that made me very sad).

But once I hit "Send Now" these letters are out into the wild, and there's no caging that tiger once it's loose. I try and edit and/or reread before I send each letter, but you and I both know you've found a word missing here or there and some less than stellar punctuation. Since I've started these letters I have copied them into a website in hopes of spreading more word (it hasn't worked, sadly), and if I've wanted to redo/edit/change/correct things, that's my chance.

With music, though, it's easy to rerecord songs years later. Advances in technology could appear that make a huge difference, or you could be a band whose singer doesn't have to record their vocals in the backseat of their car anymore.

Such is the case with Twin Fantasy, the 'new' album from Car Seat Headrest. Originally recorded in 2011, it's been completely rerecorded and rereleased. To help with confusion, the 2018 version carries the subtitle (Face to Face), and the 2001 will now carry the subtitle (Mirror to Mirror). The new one is available now, and the original will be available on Record Store Day next month (which I recommend to you all).

I'm going to go ahead and make a comparison so it's out in the open: I hear much in Will Toledo, lead singer/songwriter for Car Seat Headrest, that I heard in early Conor Oberst, lead singer/songwriter for Bright Eyes. Both were teenage writing machines, pumping out song after song of both brilliance and forgetability. Toledo takes pause from writing new material to go back into his catalogue and update an album, and I think it's brilliant. Still don't know why Oberst hasn't done that.

The new album retains the youthful exuberance of its songwriting while showing the maturity of the musicianship of Toledo and Co. The album is still a teenage breakup record (sometimes it feels like they all are), but it's got a slightly older man at the helm to guide it once more through familiar waters. It's a rocker of a record, all fuzzy guitars and uptempo with a wink and nod to those that really listen: one of Toledo's favorite tools in songwriting is to use callbacks, those things that stand-up comedians do when they make an offhand reference to earlier in the show as an exclamation point. Toledo repeats words and phrases as well as choruses and verses. Take a listen and see if you notice where he's borrowed from himself.

Overall this is so far one of my favorite albums of the year. It took a few spins to warm up, but once it got hot I just kept playing it. 

Now, about those old letters...

Recommended tracks: "Beach Life-In-Death," "Twin Fantasy (Those Boys)," "Bodys," "My Boy (Twin Fantasy)"