Car Seat Headrest take a step back from the edge on ‘Making A Door Less Open’.

Credit: Avast! Records/Car Seat Headrest

Verdict: A step back for old CSH; a step forward for them as a band.

Fame isn’t all its cut out to be. Will Toledo certainly knows that; Car Seat Headrest has earned him and his band praise verging on idle worship, and expectations of the highest magnitude. Woe betide any notion then that they should dare change direction with their newest album.

The debate around Make A Door Less Open really has become a clusterfuck of arguments over what they “should” have done and how they “should” have made the album. Comments on music review sites bemoan the switch to a stripped back indietronica sound, and even more bemoan those bemoaning that switch. No prizes for guessing that Pitchfork were unenthused and The Needle Drop gave it a middling score.

And that’s the thing – all of these responses are painfully predictable. Listen to the album for even a minute and you’ll realise its not going to be a game-changing record. As Toledo and Co note, this is a collection of individual songs as opposed to one unified vision, and that’s risky territory for any band.

Which is why it’s so pleasing that Making A Door Less Open succeeds. The record screams unease, distrust and discomfort with itself and its feelings. In these confused, directionless times, having what is essentially 11 different rants about the world makes perfect sense. The album holds itself together on its feelings.

This, understandably, isn’t enough for everyone. And that is partly warranted: CSH have defined the indie scene for the last 10 years and consistently delivered incredible albums. To have a new project that isn’t so forthcoming or bold is tricky, and the record certainly isn’t one that grips you from start to finish.

Sometimes you do wish they would cut away from the safer sonic choices. ‘Weightlifters’ is a solid opening, and cuts to the chase with its body image themes, but sound wise, it’s far from original. ‘Deadlines (Thoughtful)’, with its prototypical dance beat, is not as adventurous or stunning as you’d hope a CSH dance tune would be. ‘Famous’ is

The less said about ‘Hymn (Remix)’, the better – it’s an oddity and feels completely out of place. The divisive ‘Hollywood’ punches with its eff-off attitude, but winds up feeling like an overly-aggressive reworking of some Pavement single.

But zero in on his voice and his words, and things make a lot more sense. Lead single ‘Can’t Cool Me Down‘ (better titled Car Seat Radio-Headrest with that In Rainbows instrumentation) has had me hooked ever since its release, its lyrics dancing with stress, that brilliantly uncomfortable chorus soaring out of the track and its tumultuous second half being very memorable indeed. ‘Life Worth Missing’ stings with regret for past love, whilst the slow beat of ‘There Must Be More Than Blood‘, reveals the album’s most illuminating and personally-driven moment. It is without question my favourite track on the album.

Roughly this time two years ago, the Arctic Monkeys performed a thorough switch in sound and flipped the bird to zealous fans and critics with Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino. It too was poorly received, yet has grown an immensely strong following since, and is unquestionably one of my favourite albums of the last few years. Making A Door Less Open doesn’t quite seem destined for the same fate, but to hear a genuine voice from a band so idolised is such a breath of fresh air.

And that voice runs directly into the barrage that is fame. The culture of fame in general, and also the fame that the band have experienced. Car Seat Headrest are adored by fans the world over, and this feels like them taking a stand to say that that adoration will not rule them.

This is an album for them to take a step back and innovate for themselves. How this fits in to their discography or the indie scene in general is of less concern. Making A Door Less Open is a set of individual explorations on the themes of fame, stress, culture and expectations. It captures a time period where the world doesn’t know what’s happening to it, and Car Seat Headrest’s fan base can’t decide what they want from their beloved band either.

In circumstances like those, I welcome a break of style. You most certainly do not have to like this album; more than anything else, this is a personal journey for the band themselves.

Score: 8.0/10