Chuck Timely And The Hourglass Review

After over a year of waiting, Role Model has finally released an amazing fourth album, Chuck Timely & The Hourglass. I, along with many fans, have been patiently waiting for more music from Tucker for so long, and I am so glad to finally be doing a deep dive into this album!

Chuck’s Mantra

Chuck’s Mantra is a calming opener to this album. It is very much a gospel song, his vocals and harmonies taking centre stage. I personally think that Tucker’s vocals need to be recognised more, and Chuck’s Mantra was a perfect way to prove that point.

High Hopes 3000

High Hopes 3000, a single that was released prior to the album’s official release, is (in my opinion) the ultimate pop song. After the success of Sally When The Wine Runs Out, it becomes more and more obvious every song that this style of song is his favourite. The upbeat pop song, mixed with a slight 50s-60s feel, is a stable Role Model sound. ‘Does love come around or does one come around to it’ is my personal favourite lyric from the song, and a great reminder!

Song Is All You Get

I am a sucker for a good guitar riff, and Song Is All You Get delivers just that! It’s a much more laid back song compared to the two beforehand, but it still manages to deliver. It gives me heavy summer vibes, I personally will be seeing myself at the beach with this song blasting out of my speakers. 

Love I you

Love I you is my personal favourite off of the album. I specifically enjoy the chilled back drums mixed with the rest of the instruments, along with his vocals of course. The song takes us through what feels like a drunk confession, with the contrast of lyrics from ‘Love I do’ to ‘Love I you’. Along with that, the little cameo from Dakota Johnson was the cherry on top. Despite my extreme love for Dakota Johnson (whoops!) I absolutely love when a song has a talking breakdown, and this song delivers just that.

Chasing Midnight

Chasing Midnight is definitely one of the more underrated songs on the album. I love the prominent acoustic guitar throughout this track. Again, his vocals shine throughout this song, especially the harmonies he created. I also loved the flute in this song, it gave the song such a beautiful touch towards the end.

Good Thing

Good thing is an incredibly beautiful, gut wrenching song. The lyrics specifically tell a deep story, and the piano accompanying it creates a dreamy feel. This track gives me a disney vibe, from the ascending vocals, to the slow and steady rhythm of the instruments, it is truly a beautiful song. The string accompaniment creates such a breathtaking sound, especially when listening with headphones on.

Joy

Although it's been out for a little bit longer, I personally think that Joy is one of the best off of the album. The electric guitar leads the whole song, creating a nice swing while the rest of the instruments build off of it. I can definitely hear similarities between this song and High Hopes 3000, I think of the two songs as sisters. It also reminds me of Sally When The Wine Runs Out, both songs using the same concept of talking about a specific person. Such a banger pop song!

Service Receipt

Service Receipt is a calm contrast. Personally, this song reminds me a lot of Van Morrison, and I actually think that sound is a definite theme throughout the entire album. But along with that, it does contain some very deep lyrics, it talks about regret and the difficulties of romance, a beautifully written piece.

Honeydew

When listening to the album for the first time, Honeydew hit me completely unexpectedly. When I was imagining what this album would sound like before it was released, I thought Honeydew would be an upbeat track, and I was proved completely wrong! It is a heartbreaking track, talking about protecting someone, and the harshness that the outside world provides.

Stain

After the emotional rollercoaster of Honeydew, Stain is another more laid back track. Tucker uses ‘stain’ as a metaphor, talking about how a person feels like a stain that he ‘can’t get out’. I like songs that use metaphors, so this track was right up my alley. Again, the instrumental is beautiful, his tone absolutely completes the track.

The Wedding

The wedding takes us through Tucker’s conflicting feelings towards marriage. Not only the lyrics, but the song itself makes me feel like I’m listening to his thoughts, the build up of the vocals and instruments towards the bridge makes me feel like I know exactly how he feels. It is a beautifully dramatic song, talking about love, commitment, and a range of different emotions.

Harmony

Harmony, the closer of the album, is another stand out for me. The songs before this all felt like they told a story about bad habits, different places of struggle in his life, and this track talks about Tucker leaving them all behind. It feels like the song at the end of a movie, when everything falls into place. The song is positive and upbeat, one that I can just imagine blasting in the car, with my windows down.

Altogether, this album is Tucker’s best. Every song tells a story, and comes together to create a beautiful compilation. This will definitely be on repeat for me for weeks! Everyone say thank you Chuck Timely!!!