I don’t know about you, but I certainly didn’t have a new album with 18-minute songs from Car Seat Headrest on my 2025 bingo card. The Scholars is a departure from what we’ve learned from Will Toledo and the rest of the band. However, it works in the best way possible because this time around, it was more of a collaborative process with the whole band. And who doesn’t love when the band gets together to jam out?

The context behind The Scholars is essential to know to appreciate the whole album. Toledo and drummer Andrew Katz were diagnosed with COVID during their 2022 Masquerade Tour. Toledo eventually got a long COVID diagnosis. They canceled the rest of the tour to let him recover. It wasn’t until 2023 that Toledo and the rest of the band could come together and collaborate on the album, much like they do for live performances. This allowed the album to be a combination of each band member compared to previous albums.

The Scholars is both a concept album and a rock opera. Set at the fictional Parnassus University, the album dives into eight different characters who attend and work at the college. It tells the story of the university from the perspective of these characters, their struggles with daily life, the rival Clown University, their questions about God, and more. The themes of The Scholars can be obvious at times, but Car Seat Headrest trusts their audience to understand without having to be hit over the head with them.

An 18-minute song is THE standout in The Scholars.

“Planet Desperation” is the song on this album. It’s definitely my favorite off of The Scholars, so it’d be unsurprising if it were others’ favorite as well. Clocking in at 18 minutes and 52 seconds, it is now the reigning champ as Car Seat Headrest’s longest song. Toledo’s lyricism truly shines in this song. The chorus is simple: “You can love again if you try again,” yet it’s powerful enough to stick with you long after the song finishes. It’s a small reminder that many of us seem to forget, delivered in a way we don’t expect.

That isn’t the only standout song on the album, though. “Lady Gay Approximately” is a modern-day folk song. The chorus goes, “Everything stands on communication / If you can’t talk then there’s no escaping / Even if you could talk, no escaping this / If it’s a breakdown, then why won’t it break? / Why won’t it break?” A lot of listeners might have experienced the connection between a lack of communication and an oncoming breakdown. Combined with the folk nature of the song, the words pack a punch. “The Catastrophe (Good Luck With That, Man)” is a punchy song with darker lyrics that you wouldn’t expect. “I’ve driven through the desert of irony / Driven all around and I’ve seen a great many / Bones, dry bones in American towns” hits much harder than you realize on a first listen through.

The bottom line.

The Scholars is a lesson in the unexpected from Car Seat Headrest. The exploration of a concept album, mixing different genres, and pushing the limit on how long a song should be manages to work even when you think it shouldn’t. Toledo brings these things together and makes you want more even after the album is finished—even when the album clocks in at a solid 70:32. When all is said and done, it’s an esoteric whirlwind you’ll be grateful you were a part of.

The Scholars is out now.

Image courtesy of Matador Records.