Having departed Fleet Foxes in 2011 after three years on the drum stool, Joshua Tillman celebrates the release of his debut album Fear Fun under the new moniker of Father John Misty with a trip to Australia for Splendour In The Grass and sideshows in Sydney and Melbourne. Joining Tillman will be a plethora of Australian talent including Mosman Alder and Melodie Nelson in Sydney and Joe McKee and The Trouble With Templeton in Melbourne.
Tillman’s departure from Fleet Foxes lead him to an “immobilizing period of depression” in his former Seattle home. “I had this realization that all I had really done was lick my wounds for years and years, and become isolated from people and experiences. I don’t like wound-licking music, I want to listen to someone rip their arm off and beat themselves with it. I don’t believe that until now I’ve ever put anything at risk in my music. I was hell-bent on putting my preciousness at stake in order to find something worth singing about…I got into my van with enough mushrooms to choke a horse and started driving down the coast with nowhere to go. After a few weeks, I was writing a novel, which is where I finally found my narrative voice. The voice that is actually useful.”
Musically, “Fear Fun” consists of such disparate elements as Waylon Jennings, Harry Nilsson and Arthur Russell . Having released solo material since 2003 (as simply J. Tillman), the ex-Fleet Fox drummer’s voice has never been better, while the music maintains a gloomy, secretive and yet conversely playful quality. Lyrically, his absurdist fever dreams of pain and pleasure elicit, in equal measures, the blunt descriptive power of Bukowski or Brautigan, the hedonist-philosophy of Oscar Wilde and the dried-out wit of Loudon Wainwright III.
On the back of releasing their debut EP, “Burn Bright”, Brisbane six piece MOSMAN ALDER have already won the hearts of their hometown. The dark indie outfit features the sounds of piano, guitars and violin all underpinned by unique brooding lyrics inspired by the likes of Kafka, Neil Gaiman and Pinckney Benedict. Mosman Alder are set to take to the stage of Splendour In The Grass this year for the second year running as well as warm the stage for Father John Misty in Sydney.
MELODIE NELSON will have the crowd swooning in Sydney with her dreamy pop sounds. Lush, stacked harmonies, vocal reverb and mournful violins will wash over Oxford Art Factory along with Mosman Alder and Father John Misty.
Melbourne will open its arms to Brisbane-based, Thomas Calder who performs under the title, THE TROUBLE WITH TEMPLETON. The 21-year-old has mastered moody, folk music and has already shared the stage with Husky and Kate Martin.
Having just released his self-titled debut album, Burning Boy, ex-Snowman frontman JOE MCKEE’s hypnotizing baritone, finger-picked guitar and atmospheric string arrangements will be the perfect accompaniment to FatherJohn Misty and The Trouble With Templeton in Melbourne.
Father John Misty brings his soulful musings to Australia in July for the sold-out Splendour and two very special sideshows, you can watch the Aubrey Plaza-starring video for Fear Fun cut, “Hollywood Forever Cemetry Sings” after the tour dates to get you in the mood.
FATHER JOHN MISTY SPLENDOUR SIDESHOWS 2012
FRIDAY JULY 27 – OXFORD ART FACTORY, SYDNEY
Tickets from: oxfordartfactory.com or ph: 1300 GET TIX (438 849)
SATURDAY JULY 28 – THE CORNER HOTEL, MELBOURNE
Tickets from: cornerhotel.com or ph: 03 9427 9198
