Tim Heidecker returns with another solid album of fun introspection, soulful singing, biting lyrics, and perspective-changing tunes on his new album, High School. As the title indicates, many of the songs reflect back on his youth and lessons he learned (or didn’t) from that time.
“Buddy” is a song written to his youthful self (“Nothing ever went your way. You told me that things would be better someday.”) and how he wishes some knowledge could be imparted either way to his past self while his parents argue downstairs. “Chillin’ in Alaska” brings in some honky-tonk flavor in a song about appreciating what you have, and “Future Is Uncertain” is a song about staying present – an important thing for all of us, and a recurring them on this album of Heidecker investigating his nostalgia for an era that he’s come to realize wasn’t that great.
This goes further on “Get Back Down to Me,” in which he states, “I’ve been worrying about everybody else but myself. People’s lives, they just slide right into my head.” and vowing to find his own joy – although he apologizes for doing so (“I’m sorry. I’m gonna hit the road. Gonna see some fans and touch some sand.”). He admits on the next track that “I’ve Been Losing,” (“Wondering if tomorrow’s going to be better.”) again addressing how things seemed to have been better in his past but knowing in his heart that he’s not entirely sure what he sees in his rear view mirror is correct. He believes “the road up ahead will be filled with looking back” and hopes “the memories will surround him like a warm bubble bath.” He wants to let the past slide away from him, but can’t quite manage it.
“Punch in the Gut” is a tale of a kid coerced into a parking lot fight outside his place of employment and paying the price force it – even after he wins. “Stupid Kid” is a fun tale of Heidecker watching Neil Young perform on TV and being inspired to play music of his own (“It seemed so easy that even a stupid kid like me could do it.”)…and then being stunned to hear Young’s album version of “Harvest Moon” was different on the album than it was live.
Heidecker teams up with Kurt Vile on “Sirens of Titan,” which includes some synth bass and beats to throw you for a loop. It almost sounds like a 1980s Don Henley song. “I’m a German Catholic, an Irish spastic,” Heidecker sings about growing up as “a B-minus kid” sneaking beers in his parents’ basement and wishing he could start a rock band with his friends on “What Did We Do with Our Time?” He wonders where the time of his youth went, and was it spent on anything worthwhile? In contrast, he can’t help but wonder if what he’s doing now is worthwhile either. On the closer, “Kern River,” Heidecker finds some peace in his memories and in the present (the only place and time in where those memories can exist).
High School is full of raw honesty and nostalgia, delivering lessons on presence, impermanence, and attachment along the way.
Keep your mind open.
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[Thanks to Jacob at Pitch Perfect PR.]
