Father John Misty Announces New Album Pure Comedy for April 2017 Release

Photo Credit: Sharon Alagna

Los Angeles’ most eccentric troubadour (considering the city, that is quite the achievement) has announced his third studio LP, Pure Comedy. The album will be released on April 7, 2017 and will once again be on Sub Pop, the label that released his first two records. The announcement of the new album comes the day after he released his new single, the dryly witty (par for the course) acoustic folk number “Pure Comedy.”

Just perusing through the track listing of this third album (“Leaving LA,” “When The God Of Love Returns There’ll Be Hell To Pay”)give the impression that very little has changed for Josh Tillman, aka Father John Misty. Expect an album full of sarcastic humor and plenty of references to his residence, the City of Angels. With the album clocking in at 75 minutes over 13 songs, this is a sprawling opus.

Tillman recorded the vocals straight to tape after writing most of the album in 2015. It was produced by Tillman and his longtime producer Jonathan Wilson. Father John Misty albums are typically filled with lush instrumentation, and this record will be no different. Strings, horns and choral accompaniments were provided by Gavin Bryars.

An obvious reaction to the state of the Union, the video for the song heavily features the now-a-hate-symbol, Pepe the Frog. Check it out below:

As a fun twist, there will be three album covers released for Pure Comedy, all boasting an impressively intricate piece of art from Ed Steed (best known for work with The New Yorker). It will be available in these formats:

• A Deluxe 2xLP version on aluminum & copper vinyl, a die-cut customizable jacket with 4 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.
• A 2xLP gatefold version also available in 4 cover variations on black vinyl
• A CD gatefold digipak with slipcase available in 4 cover variations
• Digital
• CS

Pure Comedy Track Listing

1. Pure Comedy
2. Total Entertainment Forever
3. Things it Would Have Been Helpful to Know Before the Revolution
4. Ballad of the Dying Man
5. Birdie
6. Leaving LA
7. A Bigger Paper Bag
8. When the God of Love Returns There’ll Be Hell to Pay
9. Smoochie
10. Two Wildly Different Perspectives
11. The Memo
12. So I’m Growing Old on Magic Mountain
13. In Twenty Years or So