What began as a gag effort ended up a real piece of AM sunshine solid gold. Starting From Nowhere is the result of two T.V. dudes’ foray into some serious pop music, albeit with a dose of underhanded ludicrousness. It could be filed alongside the growing canon of yacht rock revivalists, only Tim Heidecker and Davin Wood (from Tim And Eric Awesome Show Great Job!) have actually written some songs that hold up next to the likes of Michael McDonald and Billy Ocean. What makes a tongue-in-cheek project like this work is that both artists are at the top of their respective games. Heidecker’s lyrics are ridiculously spot-on. “Na na na, we are caroling!” he sings like it’s the end of the world on “A Christmas Suite.” Later in the song, we find that “children are the makers of our destiny” during a melodramatic sing-along.
There are plenty of outright LOL moments, too, like Heidecker’s “Wedding Song,” which is a morning-after story that ranks up there with Ed Helms and Heather Graham’s faux-nuptials in The Hangover. “Well, I hope there’s a preacher/’Cause I know there’s a groom/I don’t have a ring, girl/But I’ve got a room.” There’s a serious side to Heidecker & Wood, and it mainly comes in the no-joke amazing production work. Pierre de Reeder, Rilo Kiley’s bassist, was brought in to give the recordings a California-cool stamp, and he helped track Kiley bandmate Jason Boesel’s live drums to replace Wood’s sampled stuff. Ultimately, the album is enjoyable no matter which way you decide to take it. Zone out to the music alone and you’ll be transported to ‘70s soft-rock heaven. Listen to the lyrics, and you’re in the middle of a bubblegum-soul narrative gone awry.