James Loves You
An album so full of bitter wit and keen foresight, you could almost swear that Joshua Tillman is clairvoyant who was soundtracking the end-of-days all the way back in 2017. The only thing that can go toe-to-toe with the weight of his lyrical subject matter is the emotional weight of the instrumentation on this album. If these songs are what plays at the end-credits of humanity, I would not complain.
Favorite track: Total Entertainment Forever.
David Knights Cowling
It's pretty dire. Might be worth revolution after all.
Favorite track: Things It Would Have Been Helpful to Know Before the Revolution.
amdynthecrusader
Truly one of my favorite albums ever. It’s funny how Josh Tillman doesn’t care about what he says on this album. Tbh though I see where he’s coming from it’s comedic how much society has fucked itself.
Favorite track: Ballad of the Dying Man.
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Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album
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Deluxe Edition 2xLP
Record/Vinyl + Digital Album
Colored-vinyl LPs in die-cut jacket with custom dust sleeves, plastic slipcase (includes all 4 sky cover color schemes), tri-fold poster, & a holographic tarot card.
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Black Vinyl 2xLP
Record/Vinyl + Digital Album
Gatefold jacket (in 1 of 4 different color schemes) with custom dust sleeves.
Includes unlimited streaming of Pure Comedy
via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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Cassette Tape
Cassette + Digital Album
Includes unlimited streaming of Pure Comedy
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'Pure Comedy', Father John Misty’s third album, is a complex, often-sardonic, and, equally often, touching meditation on the confounding folly of modern humanity. Father John Misty is the brainchild of singer-songwriter Josh Tillman. Tillman has released two widely acclaimed albums – 'Fear Fun' (2012) and 'I Love You, Honeybear' (2015) – and the recent “Real Love Baby” single as Father John Misty, and recently contributed to songs by Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, and Kid Cudi.
While we could say a lot about 'Pure Comedy' – including that it is a bold, important album in the tradition of American songwriting greats like Harry Nilsson, Randy Newman, and Leonard Cohen – we think it’s best to let its creator describe it himself. Take it away, Mr. Tillman:
'Pure Comedy' is the story of a species born with a half-formed brain. The species’ only hope for survival, finding itself on a cruel, unpredictable rock surrounded by other species who seem far more adept at this whole thing (and to whom they are delicious), is the reliance on other, slightly older, half-formed brains. This reliance takes on a few different names as their story unfolds, like “love,” “culture,” “family,” etc. Over time, and as their brains prove to be remarkably good at inventing meaning where there is none, the species becomes the purveyor of increasingly bizarre and sophisticated ironies. These ironies are designed to help cope with the species’ loathsome vulnerability and to try and reconcile how disproportionate their imagination is to the monotony of their existence.
Something like that.
'Pure Comedy' was recorded in 2016 at the legendary United Studios (Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, Beck) in Hollywood, CA. It was produced by Father John Misty and Jonathan Wilson, with engineering by Misty’s longtime sound-person Trevor Spencer and orchestral arrangements by renowned composer/double-bassist Gavin Bryars (known for extensive solo work, and work with Brian Eno, Tom Waits, Derek Bailey).
This is undoubtedly my single favorite album of all time. It feels like such a perfect culmination of all the themes and ideas Fleet Foxes has been working with since 2008. It answers many of the questions found on both Helplessness Blues and Crack-Up, and represents an incredible maturation and growth in Robin Pecknold's perspective. Their other albums are certainly masterpieces, but this, in my opinion, is their magnum opus. I doubt it will be recognized as such in its time. isaiah_stuart
The Philadelphia group sharpen their hooks and internal dyanmics for a fun and non-dorky take on power pop anyone can get behind. Bandcamp New & Notable Mar 26, 2024