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Aug 17, 2020 By Samantha Small Father John Misty

Earlier this year, Father John Misty (aka Josh Tillman) and Moor Mother (aka Camae Ayewa) released exclusive 7-inch singles for Sub Pop’s Singles Club. Now those A-Sides are available on all digital streaming platforms. Check out Father John Misty’s 7-inch was a double A-side release, so check out his two songs—“To S.” “To R.”—below. Moor Mother’s release was a two-part song collectively titled Forever Industries and can be heard below too.

Father John Misty’s songs were recorded in Los Angeles, with production by Dave Cerminara and Adan Ayan. The singles are up to par with other FJM releases. Grandiose string arrangements end the lament of “To S.” “Guess what I love you, but somebody’s gotta clean up the mess,” he sings. On “To R.” Tillman announces “God is Dead,” and rocks to a relaxed drum-beat and accompanied piano.

Forever Industries moves in a completely different direction. With a background in poetry and activism, Moor Mother elicits experimental jazz hip-hop grooves. “Just a black girl with a head of a lion/howling at the moon that’s a siren,” she states on part A, which was produced by Olof Melander. Part B, a piano backed track with pitch adjusted ruminations was produced by frequent collaborator Mental Jewelry. “I’m wondering how to wake up,” admit a throng of voices.

Moor Mother has released two albums fairly recently: 2016’s Fetish Bones and 2019’s Analog Fluids of Sonic Black Holes, while Father John Misty hasn’t released much since 2018’s God’s Favorite Customer—you can read our review of the album, which was one of our Top 100 Albums of 2018. In March he released his first live album Off-Key in Hamburg and in July he threw together Anthem +3, a cover album for Bandcamp Friday. He raised over $100,000 for both efforts, with funds going to The Recording Academy’s MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund, CARE Action, and many others.

Before that, Father John Misty released Pure Comedy in April 2017 via Sub Pop (it was Under the Radar’s #1 Album of 2017 So Far in our midyear wrap up and #9 in our final Top 100 Albums of 2017 list). Father John Misty appeared on the cover of Under the Radar’s Spring 2017 Issue.

Read our 2017 cover story interview with Father John Misty.

Read our 2017 cover story bonus Q&A with Father John Misty.

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