Give man a beard and a guitar and he can rule your emotional world. After only first few notes, I have realized that this is a magnificent album. I Love You Honeybear is a newest and most personal record Josh Tilman has ever released. Father John Misty is the alter ego of the ex drummer of Fleet Foxes and this is his second solo album.
Powerful title track opens up a door to the tragic-comical world of the author in the most spectacular way. Intensification of the drums leads to violin section, lap steel guitar and crystal clear vocal of Tilman who sings about complex story about all of those life details that are worth putting on paper.
There is everything – drunk men who flirt with author’s wife in the bar, pretentious girls who like to talk about the universe and compare themselves with legendary divas… All of it makes a collection of figures that were present in Tillman’s life, including himself. Father John Misty does not stop with personal discourse. Song Born In The USA captures the problem of the whole American society and makes fun of dysfunctional system that puts individual in an awful position. Oh, they gave me a useless education and subprime loan on a craftsman home.
Through creation of his poetic images soaked in sarcasm, irony and self-criticism, this inspiring author is playing with various genres. Besides folk, there is electronic True Affection in which he points out at the problems in modern communication. The Ideal Husband is punk rock anthem while Nothing Good Ever Happens at the Goddamn Thirsty Crow is a classic folk song dressed in old school jazz and accessorized with surf guitar.
I Love You, Honeybear brings pleasure in layers. Do not be surprised If I choose this album as the album of the year.
