Father John Misty: I Love You, Honeybear (Sub Pop) Review | Under the Radar Magazine Under the Radar | Music Blog for the Indie Music Magazine
Monday, November 11th, 2024  

Issue #52 - January/February 2015 - St. VincentFather John Misty

I Love You, Honeybear

Sub Pop

Feb 09, 2015 Father John Misty

Only in this day and age could the most human album in a long time be produced by an alter-ego. Joshua Tillman’s second go-round as Father John Misty, I Love You, Honeybear, finds the character going through every cycle of life, from lust to love to fear to hopelessness to depression to loneliness, only interrupted by the occasional bout of happiness. Not that I Love You, Honeybear is a depressing record, or even a particularly sad one, because throughout, the humor and the beauty of both the music and Tillman’s voice play antidepressant.

The most impressive thing about I Love You, Honeybear is how far the poles are from one another. The album swings in mood and energy level from sleepy to crazed. “Bored in the USA” has the tempo of a lullaby, befitting its stance. Like a great actor, Father John Misty can take the listener from laughter to tears in an instant, and statements like, “Save me, President Jesus” are initially funny, but then heartbreaking in the extent to which people stretch to grasp at straws. “The Ideal Husband” is haunted by what sounds like either a wolf howling or an air raid siren, depending on the mood, and it’s the most go-for-broke vocal performance thus far in the Father John Misty catalogue. It’s also an incredibly raw look at an imploding relationship. “I’ve done things unprotected/Proceeded to drive home wasted,” he sings early on, and later, “I’ve said awful things/Such awful things,” as the tempo speeds and the tension mounts. “Let’s put a baby in the oven,” he yells, teetering on the edge, trying anything to regain what’s lost. Somewhere in the middle is the throbbing pulse of “When You’re Smiling and Astride Me” and the drum machine-backed “True Affection” (which has always seemed like an oxymoron to the Father John Misty character) with its mesmerizing, overlapping vocals.

Song by song, I Love You, Honeybear outdoes its predecessor, Fear Fun, in nearly every way, painting a more complex musical and lyrical picture of a man who grows more and more frustrated with his place in the world, and even more frustrated with his inability to pull himself out of it. (www.fatherjohnmisty.net)

Author rating: 8/10

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Average reader rating: 10/10



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Janeece
July 14th 2016
8:38pm

I went when it opened a few times as it was around the corner from where I used to work and pretty much thought the same. A few dishes were good, but most were average and not very in.gprini.s.also the food was all pretty much luke-warm. I do like the design of the place, though - cool bar structure. :)

Miami
April 22nd 2019
8:50pm

Probably the coolest album cover I’ve seen