When Father John Misty first gave us the single “I Guess Time Just Makes Fools of Us All” back in July, little did we know he was foreshadowing the theme of his sixth album, which ultimately came out on November 22, via Sub Pop. The title of the album, Mahashmashana, references a term from Sanskrit meaning "Great Cremation Ground," suggesting that his latest effort offers fans his reflections on life, death, spirituality, and the human condition.
Father John Misty, (a.k.a. Joshua Tillman), delivers on that theme with his trademark sharp wit and introspective, often satirical lyrics. He continues his tradition of deeply personal storytelling on tracks such as “Josh Tillman and the Accidental Dose” and "Mental Health,” and he expands on his unique ability to blend humor with philosophical musings and introspection. The ballad “Screamland” offers some hope in the otherwise cynical darkness if we “keep dreaming,” and the song gives listeners a rich, beautiful melody that gets stuck in one’s head. All of these musings are delivered with emotive vocals and a distinctive blend of Folk, Rock, and Indie Pop, accented with lush arrangements and orchestral flourishes.
Mahashmashana was produced by Tillman and Drew Erickson, along with longtime collaborator Jonathan Wilson as executive producer. It features eight songs across 50 minutes, as Father John Misty was not afraid to delve into some compositions that are eight-plus minutes in length. However, the songs are compelling enough that they never get boring, and the longer epics are mixed in with shorter, more traditional rockers such as the single, "She Cleans Up."
Speaking about the single on World Cafe, Tillman told host Raina Douris that the song had a campy, B-movie inspiration. “It kind of turned into a femme fatale revenge fantasy tune,” he explained. “My brother and I had been talking about, ‘What if there was a B-movie with Mary of Magdalene where the night before Christ gets crucified, she goes on a killing spree or something? So I just kept pulling that thread.”
As of the first reporting week of December, the single moved up to #11 on the JBE tracks chart and was in heavy rotation at KGSR, WZLO, WFPK, KVYN, Radio Milwaukee, KXT, KLRR and others. The album also reached #1 on the Non-Comm chart in the week of November 26.
Father John Misty will take Mahashmashana on the road with a headlining tour that begins on February 12 in Chattanooga. It winds through the midwest and east coast before heading to Europe in April.
Photo by Brent Goldman
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