CD Review // Father John Misty

Pure Comedy// SubPop Records

Josh Tillman is the neurotic and sometimes pretentious face behind the indie folk facade Father John Misty. Pure Comedy his most recent album was released April 7 , covers everything from the absurdity of the recent election to the tediousness of pop music. In the two years since the release of I Love You, Honeybear, America’s most current events have become exceedingly lamentable, and Tillman has released the ideal album, providing commentary on society’s recent state of affairs.

The album sounds like a poetic and beautifully orchestrated satire of a disconcerting reality. “When the historians find us we’ll be in our homes/Plugged into our hubs/Skin and bones/A frozen smile on every face/As the stories replay/This must have been a wonderful place,” Tillman sings on the track “Total Entertainment Forever.” The irony of the track is that the tone does not lead the listener to be concerned with the subject matter, unless they are really listening. The soft acoustic nature distracts the listener from the rooted message with the ease of the composition and Tillman’s voice.

Pure Comedy consists of 13 tracks of theatrical and elegantly composed lyrics. The listener is encouraged to be drawn to pick up on Tillman’s subtle jab at every possible societal flaw.