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Mar 06, 2017 By Christopher Roberts Father John Misty

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Father John Misty (aka Josh Tillman) is releasing a new 75-minute long album, Pure Comedy, on April 7 via Sub Pop worldwide (except in Europe, where it’s a Bella Union release). Over the weekend he shared another song from it, “Total Entertainment Forever,” and then performed that song, along with the previously shared “Pure Comedy,” on Saturday Night Live with a full band, including a horn section. Below check out the studio version of “Total Entertainment Forever,” along with the fantastic two SNL performances, followed by Father John Misty’s upcoming tour dates.

“Total Entertainment Forever” opens with a line about virtual reality sex with celebrities: “Bedding Taylor Swift every night inside the Oculus Rift/After mister and the missus finish dinner and the dishes.” Tillman commented on the line and the song in a new interview with Exclaim! “The fact of the matter is, I don’t want that to happen to Taylor Swift,” he told the Canadian website. “That is the worst thing I can think of; that is so horrible. But again, this plays into progress, where like, the internet was supposed to be this new democracy, a utopia of information where everyone had a voice and we were all interconnected, and we would experience true democracy - and it turned into pornography, followed only by outrage. The tools represent some kind of technological advancement, but if we can’t act like more than angry ecstasy freaks with the most advanced technology in the world, then how much have we really progressed? And if you don’t think that this virtual reality thing isn’t going to turn into sex with celebrities, then you’re kidding yourself. That face recognition stuff? I mean, there are people working on it right now. It’s absurd. Someone sitting with this headset on, you know? Oh God, it’s just, how many different ways do human beings need to masturbate? So on the album there are more than a few songs where I’m saying ‘Is this progress? Like, is this really what progress looks like?’”

Father John Misty has previously shared the album’s six-and-a-half minute title track, “Pure Comedy,” which comments on our current society, politics, and religion, via an accompanying video featuring images of President Donald Trump, among others. Then he shared another new song from the album, “Two Wildly Different Perspectives,” via its video featuring images of kids interacting with guns, which was followed two days later by another song, “Ballad of the Dying Man.” He also performed a 13-minute long song, “Leaving LA,” on BBC Radio 6.

Tillman and long-time producer Jonathan Wilson co-produced Pure Comedy, which was mixed by Tillman, Wilson, and Trevor Spencer, and mastered by Bob Ludwig at Gateway Mastering Studios. Pure Comedy features string, horn, and choral arrangements by Gavin Bryars (Jesus Blood Never Failed Me Yet, Sinking of the Titanic) and there are additional contributions from Nico Muhly and Thomas Bartlett. The album’s front/back covers and gatefold feature a “gargantuan original piece” by Ed Steed (The New Yorker). The deluxe 2xLP version will be on aluminum & copper vinyl and includes “a die-cut customizable jacket with four interactive ‘background’ sleeves (so you can have whatever sky you damn well feel like as the cover), all encased in a clear slipcase. Includes a fold-out poster and an exclusive holographic tarot card by Ed Steed.”

The album is the follow-up to Father John Misty’s excellent 2015-released sophomore album, I Love You, Honeybear. I Love You, Honeybear, was Under the Radar’s #1 album of 2015. Consequently, Father John Misty was on the cover of our Best of 2015 print issue and you can read that cover story article here. Also read our earlier 2015 print article on Father John Misty and our earlier 2015 bonus Q&A with Tillman (also read our 2012 interview with him).

Father John Misty Tour Dates:

Mar. 26 - Glasgow, UK - 6Music Festival
Apr. 12 - San Diego, CA - Humphrey’s
Apr. 14 - Indio, CA - Coachella
Apr. 21 - Indio, CA - Coachella
May 05 - Toronto, ON - Royal Alexandra Theatre
May 06 - Toronto, ON - Royal Alexandra Theatre
May 10 - Brooklyn, NY - Kings Theatre
May 13 - Mayer, Arizona - FORM Arcosanti Festival
May 15 - Chicago, IL - Chicago Theatre
May 24 - Seattle, WA - Paramount Theatre
May 26 - Burnaby, BC - Festival Lawn at Deer Lake Park
Jun. 07 - Mexico City, MX - Metropolitan Theatre
Jun. 22 - 24 Oslo, NO - Piknik I Parken Festival
Jun. 23 - 25 - Ewijk, NL - Down the Rabbit Hole Festival
Jul. 28 - 30- Niigata, JP - Fuji Rock Festival
Aug. 4 - 6 - Montreal, QC - Osheaga Festival
Aug. 31- Sep. 03 - Dorset, UK - End of the Road Festival

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