Tucker Pillsury, otherwise known as Role Model, has come a long ways since his days of indie-pop, switching gears on new album "Kansas Anymore". Opening on an acoustic note, Pillsbury sings of a relationship that he wanted to work out, but in the end, it wasn't right on track Writing's On The Wall. From the first song, it's easy to see that this is the flipside to his 2022 album "Rx". Instead of being in love, "Kansas Anymore" details the end of a relationship and the attempted healing that comes with it.
Look At That Woman is a beautful track and one of my favorites on the album, alongside a fun music video featuring Benee, Kenzie, Ariana Greenblatt, Tana Mongeau, Tara Yummy, Lizzy McAlpine, Girl In Red and many more. Role Model has proved that he can make country-influenced music appeal to a crowd that's used to his typical sound. This song makes me want to dance in the kitchen with my best friends at midnight!
Track three, Scumbag, has kind of a double meaning in my opinion. Pillsbury sings, "I am not your savior / I'm hardly a man / You say I'm your favorite / Well, I don't understand." Later in the track, it seems to clarify that this is about a relationship, but part of me feels like this could also be addressing the people and fans that worship him. The chorus echoes, "But you stand by me", it's a little melancholic, but at the same time there's an upbeat quality that holds up well. The softness of the guitars and lack of intense production gives the song a wonderful fullness.
It seems maybe Pillsbury is still holding onto something, a relationship presumably, that has taken its leave on Oh, Gemini. It's painful to grasp for something that isn't there in any kind of relationship, to feel the emptiness of solely remembering what once was. And again, he puts these sentiments against an acoustic backdrop. Things pick up with Superglue, and pull in the style that we know Role Model so well for. A catchy chorus with bright guitar chords makes for a hard-to-dislike song. The thing that's been so interesting about this album is the contrast between the lyrical components and the happiness of all over the instrumental elements. Everything feels bright even though a lot of it is quite sad, which makes me feel like there really is healing happening. The memories are sour in some ways, but there's a sense of relief that comes with healing from hard moments and relationships, and Superglue certainly proves that.
The Dinner is another standout on the album for, if nothing else, its subject matter. Celebrity status and priviledge have always run rampant, but it seems like these days its on a new level. Pillsbury describes a dinner that has a guestlist, and how sometimes its hard to listen to overpriviledged people talk about LA nosejobs and sending their food back to the kitchen just because they can. I think this is where the whole "Kansas Anymore" idea comes from, as he says he clicks his heels three times to take him home. It's a culture that I'm sure is sickening to poeple who actually had to work yo get where they are in life.
While much of this album has a pretty obvious country twinge to it, there's still tracks that bring his signature style back to the table. Deeply Still In Love is exactly that, much like Superglue. It has one of the catchiest bridges of the album, "Well I heard / You might have found somebody new / i still can't swallow it / But I think I'm proud of you." So Far Gone features Lizzy McAlpine, who was also seen in the Look At That Woman music video. It's slower compared to what we've heard so far, but in a very refreshing way, and their voices harmonize wonderfully.
Something, Somehow, Someday makes me feel a type of loneliness I haven't felt from a Role Model song in a while. The choice of acoustic guitar on most of this album has been perfection, and it's only emphasized in this track. It's a melancholic way to leave his listeners, but a beautiful one. It's a reminder that if it's meant to be, it'll be, and that's a valuable sentiment to leave an album with.
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