The notoriously outspoken Josh Tillman has yet again invited the world into this psyche and he has plenty of insight to share. His stray thoughts have now merged in his newest release, “Pure Comedy,” which is his third album under the moniker Father John Misty.
Tillman has worn multiple musical identities throughout his career. He’s previously worked under the name J. Tillman, been a drummer for indie rock band Fleet Foxes and has even co-written for pop divas like Beyoncé and Lady Gaga. Despite this, the singer-songwriter has made a name for himself with his cunning personality and his trademark soulful folk-rock sound.
Unlike some of his collaborations, this new album is not so digestible. It would be a disservice to only hear this album once and simply conclude that it is just another inoffensive indie record suitable in the backgrounds of coffee shops. Though “Pure Comedy” does contain this sleepy quality in parts of the album (especially in the middle), Tillman is challenging his listeners to digress from any melodic distractions and instead focus on the lyrical content.
Tillman’s lyrics are divisive. His punches are thrown at many subjects including capitalism, religion, politics, streaming services and so on. This is most evident in the title track where Tillman questions how humans make up meaning in their lives and the urgency to find the answer (“And how’s this for irony, their idea of being free is a prison of beliefs that they never ever have to leave”). Multiple interpretations of this theme can be found on the track. Based on the music video, “Pure Comedy” can also be heard as a topical analysis on politics.
Though the album dives into deeper subjects, Tillman’s humor is not lost. “Bedding Taylor Swift every night inside the Oculus Rift/After mister and the missus finish dinner and the dishes,” are the first lines in the track “Total Entertainment Forever” where he criticizes society’s overreliance on technology. As the acoustic guitar builds to a grand mix of saxophones and horns, this ironically cheerful tune avoids the risk of sounding preachy.
He continues this tactical use of humor throughout the album, this time more sarcastically, in “Ballad of the Dying Man.” Here, he narrates the tale of someone who is afraid of what the world will come to when he is no longer around to place his two cents. What’s especially amusing is the dichotomy between the lyrics and Tillman’s subdued harmonies, piano and minor percussion which altogether sound like he’s grieving about the loss of the song’s subject.
As mentioned earlier, no one is spared in this album—not even himself. In the 13-minute long track “Leaving L.A.,” he refers to himself as “a minor fascination to manic virginal lust and college dudes,” who will lose his audience after this “10-verse chores-less diatribe.” This meta moment, along with many others in the latter tracks, is admirable as it builds a balance that helps him to not appear disingenuous.
“Pure Comedy” will be a career defining album for Tillman. His performance in each track is clear and pronounced as each melodic arrangement is beautifully composed. Folk enthusiasts who appreciate a mellow tune will feel at home with “Pure Comedy,” but it’ll be listeners who take the time to interpret the clever songwriting who will fully appreciate how Tillman spills his mind and soul so profoundly.
