Indie rockers Car Seat Headrest are back with their first album in five years, a concept album titled “The Scholars.” Frontman Will Toledo cites inspirations from Shakespeare, Mozart, and David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust. The album is an honest-to-goodness rock opera, featuring original characters, a reincarnation storyline, and themes of yearning, youth, and religious anxiety.
According to Toledo, the band’s prolonged inactivity was due to COVID-19 infections, which inspired a new spiritual practice that influenced some of the album’s themes. The Scholars will feature 13 tracks, including the single “Gethsemane,” along with an accompanying 13-minute black-and-white video.
The album’s plot follows Rosa, who studies at Parnassus University and discovers she has healing powers after bringing a patient back to life. As she absorbs pain from others, reality blurs, and she encounters ancient beings controlling the medical school. The Scholars will be released on May 2, with Car Seat Headrest announcing several tour dates starting in May.
Source: https://www.avclub.com/car-seat-headrest-announces-rock-opera-the-scholars