Fronted by multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Will Toledo, the swooning, emotionally charged anthems of Car Seat Headrest have been feeding indie-folk fans since the band first assembled in Leesburg, Virginia back in 2010. The project was initially conceived as a solo endeavor, with Will Toledo recording much of the early material from the confines of his car (hence the band’s name). However, over time, Car Seat Headrest evolved into a full band with Ethan Ives (guitar, bass, backing vocals), Seth Dalby (bass), and Andrew Katz (drums, percussion, backing vocals) making up the band's current list of members. They first gained widespread recognition with their breakthrough 2016 album Teens of Denial; their tenth album and second for Matador Records. The coming-of-age indie resonated with fans and critics alike, earning the band a dedicated following that was later buoyed by the success of 2018 LP Twin Fantasy (Face to Face), a full band re-recording of sixth album Twin Fantasy (originally released in 2011 under Will Toledo's own name). In 2020, the band released Making a Door Less Open, which marked a departure from their previous work, incorporating more electronic elements and experimental textures. The MADLO: Influences EP followed in 2021 and the "We Looked Like Giants / Brand New Colony" (the second—a cover of the Postal Service's 2003 track of the same name—delivered as a collaborative effort with the Beths and Pickle Darling. They also released a live album that year, Faces from the Masquerade, which documented their three-night residency at Brooklyn Steel in March 2022. The band returned with The Scholars on May 2, 2025—a concept-driven rock opera set at the fictional Parnassus University, exploring themes of identity and transformation through characters like Rosa and Beolco.