Father John Misty
Fear Fun
As the drummer for Fleet Foxes, J. Tillman was a force to be reckoned with, capable of propelling a song even while sustaining all those reverberating low vocals. Over the years, before and between Foxes obligations, he’s also churned out 10 stunning solo efforts, each a testament to his sharp, thoughtful, and decidedly different approach to songwriting. Fans who caught him at Muddy Waters back in 2009 remember Tillman for his odd brand of self-deprecating banter, and on Fear Fun — his first as alter ego Father John Misty — that sense of humor finally makes its way into the mix. Take “I’m Writing a Novel,” a parlor piano narrative that finds Tillman drugging and cavorting just for the sake of a story. Most importantly, though, Fear Fun shakes the dust from Tillman’s solo catalog and replaces it with crisper guitars and a nice dose of reverb, making for a record that’s fun loving, appropriately rocking, and wonderfully indicative of the talent it showcases.