A one-time student at The College of William and Mary, Will Toledo and his band Car Seat Headrest have released “The Scholars,” a rock opera about students at a fictional university. It’s an especially difficult time for colleges across the country and this 70 minute concept album relates to those anxieties in a very direct way.
Toledo’s first few albums were self recorded but on this album he embraces his bandmates, guitarist Ethan Ives, bassist Seth Dalby, and drummer Andrew Katz as equals, even having them sing lead vocals for some of the album’s characters.
The story is complex but it’s not essential for enjoying the album. The epic song structures, some as long as 18 minutes are compelling enough for those who just want to get lost in the music.
With nods to David Bowie, The Who and other celebrated rockers "The Scholars" tells a tale of family, sexuality, poison, and even world-saving superpowers. It’s one of the most ambitious albums of the year and succeeds in every aspect it attempts to tackle.