Car Seat Headrest - sober to death, 2018

"Sober to Death is one of the album’s most powerful tracks. I was still surprised to find it the album’s most “played” track on Spotify. Perhaps most people don’t have patience for tracks that are over 13 or 16 minutes! It is a slow ballad that looks at the difficult aspects of love, especially in a long-distance relationship. Lines like “You know that good lives make bad stories. You can text me when punching mattresses gets old” show the challenges of intimacy, blending feelings of tenderness and frustration. The song’s refrain, “Don’t worry, you and me won’t be alone no more,” is repeated until the end. It is both comforting and eerie. It hints at a relationship marked by both reliance and real connection. The mix of distorted guitars and Toledo’s tired, sincere vocals creates a mood of beauty and sadness. The song shows how love can be both be a safe place and a prison."