Josh Tillman, better known as Father John Misty, returns with a cleverly-penned, entertaining new single entitled, “Mr. Tillman.”

“Mr. Tillman, good to see you again / There’s a few outstanding charges just before we check you in.” The opening line of “Mr. Tillman,” as well as the rest of the song, comes from the perspective of a hotel concierge.  Wild.  Let the record show that Father John Misty remains ‘true to self’ on his latest single.  The lyrics are clever, comical, making for overall superb songwriting.

Continuing the aforementioned lyric from the hotel worker’s perspective:

“…Let’s see here, you left your passport in the mini fridge
And the message with the desks says here the picture isn’t his…”

There’s even more, of course.

“What a beautiful tattoo that young man had on his face
And oh, will you need a driver to Philly?
Jason Isbell’s here as well
And he seemed worried about you.”

Moving beyond the lyrics, “Mr. Tillman” is groovy, singer-songwriter/alternative rock at its best.  Returning to the lyrics, the chorus is energetic, enthusiastic, and infectious.

“I’m feeling good
Damn, I'm feeling so fine
I'm living on a cloud above an island in my mind
Okay babe, don't be alarmed this is just my vibe
No need to walk around
No, it's not too bad a crime.”

Final Thoughts

The craziness and creativity of “Mr. Tillman” continues beyond the first verse and the chorus.  Father John Misty has another gem on his hands, which will make a superb addition to his fourth studio album.  Vocally, he remains a force to be reckoned with, while his best weapon is his incredible songwriting ability.

Father John Misty • Mr. Tillman – Single • Sub Pop • Release: 2.20.18

Photo Credit: Sub Pop