FATHER John Misty is the daunting incarnation of ex-Fleet Foxes drummer Josh Tillman. This quasi-religious moniker stems from a mind-altering epiphany involving magic mushrooms, but anyone expecting spaced-out mood music will be disappointed.
This lush, overblown record sways across genres as a man beset by demons falls in love. There is a defiant, provocative tone to some of the lyrics, at odds with the lavish orchestration, and Tillman struggles to keep his rampant ego in check.
That said, the title track is a majestic love song, while The Ideal Husband contains a welcome list of Tillman’s faults: “Didn’t call when grandma died/spent my money getting drunk and high.” The highlight is I Went To The Store One Day, which recounts how Tillman fell in love with cinematographer Emma Garr.
It is arresting and romantic, the pinnacle of Tillman’s challenging, but flawed second solo album.
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