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Apr 05, 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, this Friday (April 7) via Sub Pop worldwide (except in Europe, where it’s a Bella Union release). Last night Tillman stopped by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to perform “Ballad of the Dying Man.” He was accompanied by a choir and sounded magnificent. Check it out below, followed by his upcoming tour dates. Yesterday we also posted some videos of Father John Misty performing on German late night TV and at BBC’s 6 Music Festival in England.

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. More recently he shared “Total Entertainment Forever” and performed “Pure Comedy” and “Total Entertainment Forever” on Saturday Night Live. He also shared a funny “unboxing” video where he showed off the packaging of the deluxe vinyl edition of the album, while dressed in his pajamas and three “generic pop songs” not found on the album that he has since deleted. And then there was the ridiculous 2:44 radio edit of the 13-minute long “Leaving LA.”

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:

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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