Our Take: 3.5/5 Stars

Since its heyday, indie music has shifted away from what it was formerly known for: independence. The genre was once defined by bands and artists operating and performing as outsiders without the oversight of commercialized record labels. Now, the term serves as a catch-all for a broad, eclectic variety of alternative and rock music, often coinciding with mainstream popularity as in the cases of Vampire Weekend and The Killers. Where the genre seems to have lost its original meaning, one modern band stands out as truly independent: Car Seat Headrest.

Frontman Will Toledo — a pseudonym — founded the band in 2010, releasing twelve albums on Bandcamp before eventually signing with an independent label. They remained in relative obscurity until 2016’s “Teens of Denial,” which caught the public eye. Since, Headrest has even performed on late-night shows, like “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.”

To date, the band has had a distinct aesthetic. Each of their albums has been characterized by a grunge vibe that has been absent in music for decades. For lack of a better descriptor, Headrest carries a bit of a nerd persona, reminiscent of Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo. Their songs, like 2016’s 12-minute depression anthem “The Ballad of Costa Concordia,” defy convention and norms like Modest Mouse. And emo lyrics about love, mental health and growing up make them a rather mature version of Blink-182. Almost all of these comparisons almost belie Headrest, however, as their ambitious, clever lyricism is full of thoughtful insights and self-referentiality.

On May 1, the band released their first completely original album in four years, “Making a Door Less Open.” Much of the conversation around the album emphasizes Toledo’s discomfort with fame and live performance. The result is numerous innovations. For one, Toledo now dons a mask — unrelated to COVID-19. They also have released different versions of the album across different platforms, wherein the vinyl is different from CD and Spotify. Perhaps most notably, though, Headrest added a strong electronic element into the fold.

In a sense, “Making a Door Less Open” is far more interesting than it is a hit. It is certainly not bad in any sense; the album is actually pretty rewarding across multiple listens. But the talking points around it are far more intriguing.

Spanning 48 minutes in total, the new release opens with “Weightlifters,” a song of realization that “thoughts can change your body” and “your body can change your mind.” The electronic addition is on full display from the beginning with sirens in the backdrop and a synth-drum beat. This sound is continued in the next tune, “Can’t Cool Me Down.”

“Deadlines (Hostile)” is perhaps the most vintage Headrest track on the album. Electronic components take a backseat to their traditional rock form — mumbling verses of self-ponderance and elevated chorus repetitions set to a grunge vibe.

The next songs “Hollywood” and “Hymn – Remix” carry frenetic energies, each bring mechanistic elements back to the forefront. But where the repetitions sound almost hypnotic on the first listen, subsequent plays lose their luster.

One of the album’s finest, “Martin” combines sounds that do not ordinarily go together. A traditional acoustic guitar is set against a metronome-like drum beat and clever sound mixing. Representative of their highly intelligent songwriting, the song is about turning the page on mental health and unhappiness only to relapse once again.

“Life Worth Missing” stands out as another exceptional work on the new album. The song fuses together drone sounds over a mumbling self-exploration. Without a chorus, the lyrics meander through ruminations on lives not lived. But as on “Martin,” the track concludes with the recognition that starting anew is impossible and that one must come to terms with oneself. Toledo continues this process on the metronome tune “There Must Be More Than Blood,” in which he grapples with his relationship with his family.

The last track on “Making a Door Less Open” — or at least on the Spotify version — puts everything together. Full of a machine-like cacophony, “Famous” concludes the personal journey with a callback, repeating, “Change your mind/Did you change your mind?”

It is hard to separate “Making a Door Less Open” from the Car Seat Headrest context, both for better and worse. Without understanding the innovative changes undergone by Toledo’s project, the introspections and realizations might fall flat. Put into a discography and narrative, though, the ambitious choices just fail to shine as brightly (or depressingly) as earlier works. The electronic elements serve this self-referentiality well, retreading past ground under new eyes. Insider knowledge always enhances the appreciation of Headrest, as it does with most artistry, but that condition could be held as a slight from non-fans.

Ignoring this, the latest album from the indie band proves rather unique, insightful and cohesive as a music project. A few tracks are not worthy of much attention, but the highs reveal Car Seat Headrest as an innovative, independent band refusing to let anyone but themselves define their sound and narrative.

Our Take: 4/5 Stars

On April 20, Netflix released “The Midnight Gospel.” The release is perfectly timed as the bizarre acid-trip animated series is somehow oddly equipped to help viewers through a traumatic and tumultuous time in the world.

Co-created by Pendleton Ward (“Adventure Time”) and comedian Duncan Trussell (“Stupidface”), the new production draws its premise from the latter’s podcast “The Duncan Trussell Family Hour.” The audio show caught the ear of Ward during his time on “Adventure Time,” prompting him to reach out and start the bold adult animation project.

Taking place in a bright, fluorescent fantasy dimension, “The Midnight Gospel” chronicles the young Clancy, voiced by Trussell, who acquires a multiverse simulator. He uses it to explore new worlds, interviewing their inhabitants and accompanying them on journeys that he publishes for his video “spacecast” show. The adventures range from zombie apocalypses to walks with the personification of death, and the conversations tackle heavy philosophical subjects, such as mortality, reality, forgiveness and enlightenment.

“Adventure Time,” for which Ward is best known, featured progressively mature storylines and plots set against a goofy, bright post-apocalyptic landscape. “The Midnight Gospel” thereby feels like a logical continuation from the popular Cartoon Network show, adding adult, grotesque, violent and crude content into the fold. If “Adventure Time” felt like a childish pothead show, then the new Netflix production is a wacko LSD trip. In a way, “The Midnight Gospel” feels like the entirely unfiltered, unrestrained imagination of Pendleton Ward without the oversight of a traditional television network.

Still, Trussell’s views are stamped all over the new worlds. His influence is especially apparent in the writing. Clancy’s interviews explore really remarkable topics. Episodes focus on discussions of magic, meditation and mental space. One of the most recurrent themes, though, is the idea of being truly present in the moment.

The combination of the neon hallucinogenic imagery and the deeply intellectual topics result in a dissonance that makes it hard to look away. It is almost remarkable that the show ever made it to the screen, let alone that it turned out so well.

The only semblance of an overarching plot that spans the series’ eight episodes remains in the background. Clancy has issues with his simulator, which he ignores until it breaks, and he clearly has maturity issues exacerbated by a complicated family life. His mother apparently passed away prior to the show’s representations, and Clancy turned to the simulator to start a new life. The audience even comes to learn that his real name is Duncan, like the show’s co-creator and lead voice actor.

For a show as thematically rich and heavy as this, “The Midnight Gospel” is tremendously funny and entertaining. The animation is otherworldly, making it enjoyable just to look at; the sequences and adventures are so goofy that it is hard not to laugh. If there is one thing that this show is not, though, is family-friendly.

Still, the animated series seems weirdly equipped to handle an audience experiencing a traumatic stretch of human history. At times, it encourages Clancy — and viewers — to look toward death, not to morbidly embrace it, but rather to learn from it. Not for the faint of heart, these considerations could be troubling for many. Yet others might find important life insights and advice through “The Midnight Gospel’s” bizarre acid-trip ruminations.

Although “The Midnight Gospel” certainly is not comfort viewing, the fluorescent philosophical journey excels at the bizarre little niche that it has carved out for itself.

What started as a peaceful protest in memory of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery on the afternoon of Friday, May 29, escalated into the destruction of multiple buildings around Centennial Olympic Park by nightfall. The protests, which took a drastic turn after an Atlanta Police Department vehicle was set on fire, ravaged on through the night as groups of protesters made their way to Buckhead, breaking into many stores within Phipps Plaza and Lenox Square Mall. 

WSB-TV’s live coverage of the protests showed a Georgia Tech Police Department (GTPD) car on fire around 9:50 p.m. near Centennial Olympic Park. In a statement from GTPD it was confirmed that members of the department were called in to assist with the protests that occurred less than a mile from Tech’s campus.

“Last night, GTPD officers responded downtown to assist the Atlanta Police Department. Three GTPD squad cars were damaged downtown during the protest, but thankfully no officers were injured,” wrote GTPD.

The Atlanta Police Department also reported that 20 of their squad cars were damaged. Many protesters targeted and attacked parked police vehicles with bricks, rocks and barricades, along with spray-painted anti-police phrases. 

It is not apparent that the protests made their way to Tech’s campus, but a photograph surfaced on the Tech subreddit of what appears to be a broken window in the North Avenue Dining Hall. The GTPD crime log indicates that there is an active case of “Criminal Damage to Property” at the dining hall from sometime last night, although it remains unclear if the incident is connected to the protests. 

Spring 2020 graduates, whose commencement was previously cancelled, will be honored with an online ceremony beginning at noon on May 1. 

“All of us at Georgia Tech have a deep sense of admiration for our graduating class, among other reasons because we know very well how much it takes to get there. Our graduates deserve to be recognized for this momentous achievement, which means so much to them and to their families,” said President Ángel Cabrera in a statement. “Our online celebration does not replace our Commencement exercises but will help mark the completion of a journey. I hope every graduate will consider returning to campus when we stage a live ceremony later this year, as public health guidelines permit.” 

According to the announcement, found on commencement.gatech.edu, the virtual event will include speeches from Cabrera and the deans, as well as student interviews and messages from faculty, alumni and other members of the Tech community.

The Institute has also tentatively scheduled an in-person commencement ceremony in August for spring and summer graduates. Students who are unable to attend this ceremony will be able to request to walk in the December commencement ceremony should there be additional room.