Words, music, images and more from Jim Barnes
When Shirley Barber moved with her young family to Ashburn Farm in 1989, “it was like the village of Oz dropped down into this country area — one road coming in and out, no buildings,” she said. “There was nothing here.”
Barber and her husband, David Tabor, were the original owners of a house in the eastern Loudoun County community of 3,863 homes, most of which were built between 1988 and 1993. A few smaller neighborhoods were annexed into Ashburn Farm during the ensuing decade.
“Frontman and songwriter for the indie rock giants Car Seat Headrest, Will Toledo is an avid user of Fender Telecasters.”
—ultimate-guitar.com, June 22, 2020
“The sum total of their efforts is a thrilling left turn from a deeply consistent yet wildly unpredictable band.”
–Chris DeVille on Stereogum, “The 50 Best Albums of 2020 So Far,” June 10, 2020
“Singer-songwriter Will Toledo discusses new album ‘Making A Door Less Open'”
–Kyle Meredith on Consequence of Sound, June 5, 2020
“With their highly-anticipated new album set to arrive in the coming months, Car Seat Headrest have now unveiled the next cut to be lifted from their forthcoming full-length.”
–Chris Bound on Mystic Sons, March 24, 2020
“The chorus of the track is dominated by gorgeous harmonies that we’ve come to expect from Car Seat Headrest, inter spliced with notably off-beat snare underneath a driving rhythm. Oh and there’s some trumpet for good measure!”
–Zanda Wilson on Music Feeds, March 24, 2020
“Car Seat Headrest Will Boost Your Mood With New Song ‘Martin'”
–Nina Corcoran on Consequence of Sound, March 23, 2020
“Martin is a joyful, jangly guitar-driven pop track from their upcoming album, ‘Making A Door Less Open,’ a collaboration between band leader Will Toledo and 1 Trait Danger, an electronic side project made up of Toledo and drummer Andrew Katz.”
–Jon Stickler on Stereoboard, March 23, 2020
“Car Seat Headrest Share Lyric Video for New Song ‘Martin'”
–Christopher Roberts on Under the Radar, March 23, 2020
“[Will Toledo] appears in the lyric video as his alter-ego Trait, washing the dishes — an appropriate activity during these pandemic times.”
–Claire Shaffer in Rolling Stone, March 23, 2020
“Songwriter Will Toledo declares the track one of the favorite songs he’s ever written.”
–Janice Headley on KEXP, March 23, 2020
“Toledo, the bandleader, is the computerised protagonist of the lyric video, washing dishes as his poignant words flash on the screen.”
–Jack Whatley on Far Out Magazine, March 23, 2020
“The song itself is a bouncy pop track that sounds a bit more realized than its predecessor, if not quite to the stadium-reaching peak of his recent pair of Teens LPs.”
–Mike LeSuer on FLOOD Magazine, March 23, 2020
“Bursting out of its seat with a startling assault of acoustic guitar, the track maintains 100 metre sprint pace before mellowing out in the final third, adding vibrant brass instrumentations that float along like butterfly wings.”
–Matty Pywell on Gigwise, March 23, 2020
“Accompanied by a lyric video that sees leader Will Toledo taking on the character ‘Trait,’ the uplifting pop song is described by Will as ‘one of the favorite songs that he’s ever written.'”
“The song is skittering and grounded by acoustic guitar and Toledo’s distinctive swallowed-up vocals.”
–James Rettig on Stereogum, March 23, 2020
“Car Seat Headrest have shared a new track from their forthcoming album Making a Door Less Open.”
–Matthew Strauss on Pitchfork, March 23, 2020
“For us — and other CSH fans, I’m sure — 1 Trait serves as an immediate mood picker-upper. “
–Angel Pleasant & Dominiki Kurz in The Wellesley News, March 5, 2020
“Sports and recreation are the heartbeat of Ashburn Village, a 5,500-unit planned community in eastern Loudoun County, Va., about 30 miles from Washington.
With 16 miles of trails, three community centers with outdoor pools, eight playgrounds and a multitude of courts and fields for tennis, basketball, baseball and soccer, Ashburn Village is built for outdoor activity.”
“The short film follows the creative arc of completing a new song…The track in question is the brilliant ‘Stop Lying to Me’ which has a whole heap of power to it. “
–Jack Whatley in Far Out Magazine, July 9, 2019
“…Toledo is returning to his more collaborative roots; today…TIDAL is premiering the third and final episode of Car Seat Headrest’s documentary, I Haven’t Done Shit This Year — and it features an in-progress song titled ‘Stop Lying to Me,’ likely slated for the band’s next album.”
–Brenna Ehrlich on tidal.com, July 8, 2019
“Car Seat Headrest have shared the final installment of ‘I Haven’t Done Shit This Year,’ their behind-the-scenes documentary made in partnership with Tidal.
–Sam Sodomsky on Pitchfork, July 8, 2019
“Seven years since these songs were first written, they sound as urgent as ever.”
–Alex Hudson on Exclaim!, June 18, 2018
“Just when you thought pop culture needed another reboot like a Kanye tweetstorm, garage-rock maestro Will Toledo sails in with an impressive full-band reworking of one of his (many) early bedroom recordings, a concept album about a past relationship.”
–Michael Rietmulder in The Seattle Times, June 15, 2018
“Toledo is the type of singer-songwriter that critics used to champion on a weekly basis during the glory days of ’80s college rock.”
–Michael Roffman on Consequence of Sound, June 12, 2018
Brightly colored paintings decorate the home of Harish and Sandhya Bikmal, an Ashburn couple with two teenage sons.
Their older son, Saket, 17, is a rising senior at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria. Himal, 15, who will attend Briar Woods High School in the fall, was diagnosed with profound autism when he was 2.
As Himal’s parents came to terms with his diagnosis, they worried about his future.
The Washington Post, June 18, 2017
“In less than a year, the album Teens of Denial made it to the top of countless best-of-2016 playlists, the band have been booked by high-profile mainstream TV shows such as The Tonight Show and the 24-year-old Toledo regularly faces huge crowds who roar his lyrics back at him in packed venues.”
–James Belfield in The Listener (New Zealand), Feb. 16, 2017
“Even without checking production credits, the imprint that Car Seat Headrest and lead singer Will Toledo has on Gold Connections is unmistakable.”
–Jared McNett in Paste Magazine, Feb. 13, 2017
“Gold Connections is something like the Silver Jews to Car Seat’s Pavement: rich and wandering, hazy and pensive with the sort of thoughtful lyrics and explosive choruses we’ve come to expect from a Toledo production.”
–Rob Arcand in Spin, Feb. 13, 2017
Review of “Drunk Drivers / Killer Whales”
–Erika Kooda in Atwood Magazine, Feb. 2, 2017
“It was certainly an experience we all needed.”
–Danielle Hansen on Howl & Echoes, Feb. 2, 2017
The mood was one of optimism and steely determination, as a diverse group of townspeople, civic organizations and faith communities united Monday to take part in Leesburg’s 25th annual march commemorating the life and work of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
Town officials estimated that 1,200 people marched through downtown Leesburg from the courthouse to the Douglass Community Center, some pushing strollers and others carrying flags, banners and signs highlighting excerpts from King’s speeches. Many of the marchers stayed at the community center after the march for a program of speeches, readings and musical performances honoring the vision of the civil rights leader.
Washington Post, Jan. 22, 2017
A plan for a banquet and events facility in the middle of horse country sparked an outcry from residents of western Loudoun County who attended a public hearing in Leesburg this month to voice their objections.
Nearly 30 people spoke against the proposed business at Catesby Farm, about five miles west of Middleburg, arguing that the noise and traffic it would generate would disturb neighboring farms and overwhelm the narrow roads in the area. Some said that the traffic would also disrupt nearby Willisville, a small village settled by freed slaves after the Civil War.
Washington Post, Oct. 23, 2016