Afraid of Heights is the fourth studio album by the American indie rock group Wavves. The album was released on March 26, 2013. It’s difficult to square the Wavves that inhabits Afraid of Heights with the lo-fi, noisy, raw nerve stuff that made up much of Nathan Williams’ first releases. Things had changed considerably by the time he dropped 2010′s King of the Beach. Williams tested out where his stoned beach bum angst could go, utilizing fancy tools like a backing band and a real recording studio. While the results hit fun, anthemic highs, the test would be on the next album to find out whether the buzzy newness was a step in the right direction or just a diversion. While Afraid of Heights features enough lyrical grit to recall his Wavvves days, the studio wizardry and unapologetic pop-punk influences linger, too. As a result, some of the grimy ease that made early Wavves so exciting and unique has faded, though a number of glorious hooks remain. The album opens on a one-two punch of jangly, upbeat depression. “Sail To The Sun” has its talk of using love as an escape from the pains of reality, but it ends repeating the words “in a grave.” Lyrically, Williams is desperate to avoid the truth that he can’t help but admit that everything ends. Musically, though, the song opens with tinkling bells and a pastoral lilt, an almost ’80s Christmas album vibe. The power chords and chugging kit-work that follows is sloppy and energetic, a headrush that makes it difficult to realize tha