(Delorean Recordings, Dec. 15, 2007)

Strange as it sounds, Shotgun Jimmie was the student council president of my high school when I was in the 10th grade. Needless to say, that fact definitely adds an extra layer of context to my take on his latest solo release, The Onlys.

Back at our old alma mater I knew Shotgun Jimmie simply as Jim Kilpatrick, but I honestly don’t remember much about him other than the fact that he was the strange older kid who organized some even stranger events in the cafeteria. Fast forward a decade or so and I’m happy to say that the shaggy figurehead of my sophomore year has found a home for his creative meanderings by way of endearing and tuneful indie rock.

Largely unfamiliar with the work of Kilpatrick’s previous pairing, the critically lauded Shotgun and Jaybird, I was immediately drawn to the palpable sense of fun present on The Onlys. Opening strong with the slow romp of “Duet,” the bar is set pretty high right off the bat, as a knack for witty lyrics ( “It’s just as simple as bathroom towels for his and hers. It’s just consonants and vowels that make up all the words” ) is equaled by a penchant for an endearing lo-fi aesthetic.

To put it simply, Shotgun Jimmie is the Chad VanGaalen for people who like more marshmallows in their breakfast cereal—I mean that in the most complementary way possible, as instead of the latter’s tendency towards the supernatural or creepy, we get Kilpatrick’s talent for crafting amicable—yet still rockin’—tunes that rejoice in a down to earth innocence (take “Warbler Song” or “Summersound” for example). Throw in some breakout gems like the ridiculously addictive “Bedhead” (previously featured here) and “Onomatopoeia”—the monumental chorus to which will reverberate inside your skull for days—and there really isn’t a reason not to recommend The Onlys.

Of course, I personally get to rejoice in the perverse pleasure of hearing my former high school president advise:

“I’ve been thinking about taking off the afternoon and maybe never work again, blaming the changing seasons. There’s nothing wrong with skipping school if you know you’re doing it for the right reasons.”

Go figure.

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Check out a track from the album below:

Shotgun Jimmie - Onomatopoeia

You can hear more at Shotgun Jimmie’s Myspace page, or pick up a digital copy of the album here.