Role Model has never been afraid to share his true, vulnerable feelings and stories through songwriting, and this mantra remains true throughout Chuck Timely & The Hourglass — an album that deserves to be experienced from beginning to end.
Following the 2024 release of the highly successful Kansas Anymore, Role Model (a.k.a. Tucker Pillsbury) returns with his third studio album, Chuck Timely & The Hourglass. While heartbreak, uncertainty and self-reflection remain familiar themes, Pillsbury approaches them differently this time. Rather than staying in the past, the album slowly moves towards acceptance, hope and the possibility of starting over. That emotional process is what makes the album so rewarding to listen to from start to finish. Across twelve tracks, Role Model creates an album that feels hopeful and nostalgic, blending honest songwriting with carefully layered instruments to create a journey. Every song builds on the last, making the album feel like watching the curtain rise on a theatre production.
The story begins with “Chuck’s Mantra,” a short but important introduction where it feels like the opening scene before the lights come up, quietly preparing listeners for everything that follows. As the vocals are harmonizing, Role Model offers time to get ready for the chapters ahead. The moment the first note drops into lead single “High Hopes 3000,” it feels like Role Model is inviting listeners into the world he has created.
From its opening moments, “High Hopes 3000” bursts with energy. The lively instrumentals immediately pull listeners into the world Role Model has created, while his signature “woo” brings that infectious excitement that returns throughout the album. Beneath the upbeat production, sits one of the album’s central themes.
“I need some high hopes / Lord knows I could use ‘em / I know I’ma lose ‘em when the wheels fall off”
From the very beginning, Role Model admits that he wants to believe in love again, while already expecting it to fall apart — perfectly setting up the emotional journey that unfolds across the rest of the tracks.
Rather than sticking to one particular sound, Role Model constantly changes the atmosphere through funky basslines, addictive electric guitar riffs, warm acoustic melodies and perfect piano arrangements. Every song introduces something new while still feeling connected to the overall story.
One of the album’s standout moments arrives with “Song Is All You Get.” The energy becomes more relaxed, but the storytelling only grows stronger. Pillsbury’s vocals feel conversational, almost as though he is sitting across from the listener sharing memories rather than performing them. As the song builds, clapping joins the production, making it feel like the audience has become part of the moment.
“Sometimes they leave you nothing but a song”
This lyric perfectly captures the heart of the album. Even when relationships don’t last, they leave behind memories and stories worth holding onto.
The theatrical feeling comes even more alive during “Love I You.” Opening with another groovy instrumental, the track feels less like a traditional love song and more like watching two characters interact during a musical. Dakota Johnson’s spoken bridge plays out like a genuine conversation, which adds another layer to the story. The song is surprisingly vulnerable.
“I’d like to surrender to something other than the bartender”
These lyrics reveal someone longing for something real. Combined with the chants of “Chuck” from the surrounding voices, it feels as though every character has stepped into the story and onto the stage together.
Throughout the album, Role Model proves that one of his greatest strengths is his ability to create atmosphere. Even quieter moments like “Chasing Midnight” never feel empty. Warm acoustic guitar and layered vocals create a nostalgic feeling that perfectly reflects the song’s message of accepting that not every relationship is meant to last. He finds beauty in simply appreciating the moments that do exist.
The balance between vulnerability and optimism reaches its emotional peak with “Good Thing.” The return of the piano immediately demands attention, creating the album’s most intimate moment. It is easy to picture Pillsbury standing beneath a single spotlight, singing while couples slow dance around him, wishing he could experience the same feeling.
“Do I close the door or let you in? / But, to my surprise… it’s a good thing”
This lyric marks an important turning point. For the first time he allows himself to believe that opening his heart again might not end in heartbreak.
Just when the album feels at its most emotional, Role model lifts the energy once again with “Joy”. Despite its upbeat production, the song hides vulnerable lyrics. Opening with “Remember Joy? She’s been gone a while,” he turns joy into a person he has been searching for. The bridge brings in surrounding voices that feel like supporting characters, reinforcing the theatrical atmosphere that runs throughout the album. It is impossible not to appreciate how much thought has gone into even the smallest production choices.
As the album moves towards its conclusion, the emotional perspective begins to shift. “Honeydew” slowly builds with an acoustic guitar, layered into instruments that grow stronger every chorus. By the time Role Model repeatedly sings “We’ll be alright,” the lyric feels like a promise. It is easy to imagine that moment becoming an important part of a live show, with an entire crowd singing those words back to him.
“Stain” brings a lighter and more carefree energy. The production feels like Role Model stepping into a new chapter, aware of who he is while also learning to let go of the past. Beneath the playful sound, he acknowledges the things that still follow him. The song captures the idea that some experiences leave a mark, but they also become part of the story. “Stain” feels like a moment of acceptance and a part where hope returns before the final steps of the journey.
The feeling of hope continues with “The Wedding,” where witnessing somebody else’s love unexpectedly changes his own perspective.
Last night, I told myself that I’m never getting married / That night, they sold me too / Saying, “I do”
After spending most of the album questioning whether love is something he can trust, seeing someone else make that commitment allows him to imagine that future for himself.
By the time “Harmony” arrives, everything comes full circle. The closing track quietly reflects on the journey that came before it, even echoing the hope first introduced in “High Hopes 3000.” When Role Model sings, “Maybe this is what love looks like / It took forever, but now I see,” it feels like the final piece of the story falling into place. The growing sense of optimism makes the closing moments feel less like a goodbye and more like a celebration.
Chuck Timely & The Hourglass is proof that the best albums are more than a collection of songs. They invite listeners into a world, ask them to stay for a while and leave them feeling different by the time the final note fades. This is an album that deserves to be experienced in full. By the time “Harmony” comes to an end, it becomes clear that this was never just a story about heartbreak; it is a story about finding hope again, one chapter at a time.
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