Last week, we received word that Car Seat Headrest and Smash Mouth were set to release cover versions of each other’s tracks. Now, both covers have dropped and despite what you may have expected, they’re surprisingly decent.
While there had been talk of Car Seat Headrest and Smash Mouth getting musically involved with each other in the past, many had just written off the concept as the fever dream of a meme-loving tunelord. However, we’ve all been proven wrong.
In January of last year, Car Seat Headrest frontman Will Toledo explained that the idea of an actual pairing of the two groups “remains a mysterious front.”
“We’re hoping that something will happen with that in the future. Really, we don’t know what right now, but if nothing else, we’ll probably cover a few of their songs,” Toledo explained to triple j.
“I grew up obviously knowing their hits, and I have been listening a lot to Astro Lounge, and I still think it’s a great record. The songs really hold up as pop songs,” he continued.
“Right now, my plan is just to cover a couple things, but we really haven’t gotten into discussion as to what exactly it’s going to be.”
A collaboration was all but confirmed last week when it was revealed Smash Mouth were set to deliver their cover of Car Seat Headrest’s 2015 track ‘Something Soon’, and CSH returning the favour by covering ‘Fallen Horses’ from 199’s Astro Lounge (y’know, the album with ‘All Star’.)
Of course, Smash Mouth kept their word and dropped their cover last week. Despite us being unable to ignore the group’s trademark style bubbling under the surface, trying to bust out, it was a rather faithful, albeit subdued cover for the group, who celebrate 25 years together next year.
Now, as Pitchfork reports, Car Seat Headrest have delivered their cover of Smash Mouth’s underrated gem, turning it into a dark folk jam that sounds a lot better than the phrase “Smash Mouth cover” would have you believe.
Check out Car Seat Headrest’s cover of Smash Mouth’s ‘Fallen Horses’:
