I'd argue that Tillman is the best singer-songwriter to achieve major commercial success in a very long time. Both of his FJM albums are completely solid and flawless and they've never once gotten boring for me. I'll be listening to these records well into my old age, and hopefully whatever else he puts out in the years to come. Bless Josh Tillman's existence.
I couldn’t agree more. I think the best songwriters right now are Kevin Parker (Tame Impala), Father John Misty, Fiona Apple, Frank Ocean, & Robin Pecknold (Fleet Foxes)
Two talents that are made clear by Josh Tillman's acoustic performances are the strength of his songwriting and his natural musicality and vocal abilities. The brilliance of the songs shine through, even without the instrumental embellishments carefully crafted by Josh and Jonathan Wilson on the album. His lyrics, being of literary quality, are strong enough to stand alone, and his melodies appropriately accent the meaning of the text. Furthermore, his natural vocal abilities stand out from many popular vocalists in range, intonation, and tone quality. So many popular vocalists have such a limited vocal range and require assistance from a tuner to remain in tune, yet Josh is such a natural, he slides from his warm, baritone chest register to his delicate falsetto with ease. I was so grateful to be able to attend this special event. As a music lover and vocalist, I was delighted with the music, and as a fan, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to ask Josh Tillman a question. I would like to thank KEXP for hosting this event, and I would especially like to thank Josh Tillman for being so generous with his time and talent. With much appreciation,Jodi Franks
+J Dem fantastic appraisal. And yes, he is to me one of the best songwriters of this generation- thats how high I rate him. I actually think were it not for the humour he injects, and the profanities he would be more commercially recognised but to me thats what makes it so brilliant, the fact that he doesn't take himself seriously. His unmitigated honesty really shines through the album.
His voice is super amazing, but what I really admire is his consistency. Doesn't matter if it is a small concert, big concert, indoor, outdoor, radio, studio record, whatever, he ALWAYS sounds f* perfect. And that is nothing but pure talent. Bravo.
This is spellbinding stuff. He's such a compelling and committed performer. An incredible song writer with a rich and emotive voice. He manages to combine cynical wit with a plain faith in the redemptive power of love - thats not easy to do. I love both of his FJM albums - but I think he could go to do something that could stand against anything.
Emmett McCleary I think he’s the best singer since Thom Yorke and Jeff Buckley. Not only does he have a great voice, but he also is a great singer/vocalist. People tend to conflate those things but there is a difference. A lot of modern “pop singers” tend to have good voices, but they are bad singers; i.e they don’t have good delivery and don’t sing with emotion.
The reverberated vocals work on the album. The stripped-down vocals on this acoustic performance works here. Can't we enjoy them as two separate entities?
I strongly disagree. I think his vocals on the album sound amazing. I do prefer his vocals when he plays acoustic cuz I think when he does the whole “front man thing”, where he is “dancing” - tends to take away from his voice ... But the vocals on the album have to have a lot of reverb or else they would sound out of place with the rest of the mix. The album is very warm and lush, so the vocals have to match with that sound.
+Stephanie Hoffman I really like that song in the album, and I got the strong impression he forgot the order of the lyric, and he had to go on a tangent before he got back on the right stream.
His command of the whole crowd is so impressive. He’s almost flirting with the whole room. Hints of Prince, Russell Brand, Elvis or Izzy Izzard perhaps in the way the room all seem to swoon at his mere presence.
I've listened to this whole concert twice, and I don't get why people think this is great songwriting or performance. To me, he's pretty mediocre at best and kinda awful at worst musically, reaching for non-traditional changes and missing by a mile. He's a below average guitarist and singer, in my book. He should still be playing open mic nights at the VA and happy to make some tips. I've loved the singer/songwriter genre since it's inception, and this guy wouldn't make the top 250 singer/songwriters. For contemporaries, how about John Fullbright, or James McMurtry or Jason Isbell or JIm James or Dana Cooper or Peter Mulvey or Anais Mitchell, and on and on. That's not mentioning any of the greatest classic songwriters like Randy Newman, Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, Joni Mitchell, Lucinda WIlliams, Kris Kristofferson, Guy Clark,. Townes Van Zandt, and again I could go on at great lengths before this guy makes the list. I feel like he's putting people on and getting away with it. Sorry, I know this has been a lovefest, but I don't get it, and I keep trying. Go ahead and blame me, but hope you'll listen to some other folks and see what else is out there.
+Jim Moran I think you have a point, though it's gonna be hard to get a lot of support from those enamoured with him. Still, it comes down to expectations and yours are really high. He isn't the most amazing singer-song writer, he's flawed on both accounts, yet his music is very enjoyable and his lyrics are thought provoking. Many of the tunes are fun, he's got good rhymes, and some witty observations on the global situation (though he's not Naomi Klein on a guitar), and makes for an enjoyable time. Those who say he's great and flawless are fans, and they naturally exaggerate, but to call him awful and mediocre is also an exaggeration. He's okay.
+Funeral Giggle Thanks for the reply, very thoughtful and appreciated. Would be great if folks who love this would listen to some others that really elevate the singer/songwrter genre. Even writers in bands like Dr. Dog or My Morning Jacket. Maybe I meant modest rather than mediocre.
Yeah, his main instrument is the drums, which he played in Fleet Foxes. I think the whole Father John Misty thing was originally a way for him to exercise his demons after a break up (with Robin Pecknold's sister, no less). And he is just having fun with it. He doesn't take himself too seriously, and I think that is part of the allure of his character. If you are from or have been to Seattle where I live and here he has resided, you would know that being lighthearted about your art is a welcome and relieving thing. He's relatively young, and his lyrics to me are pretty witty and even a bit profound. Let's see how he evolves. Peace.
I have to disagree. While he definitely is no master guitarist, it's the lyrics that carry his music. I'm not going to pretend that I know all of the artists that you mentioned, but I would consider FJM a finer songwriter than Jason Isbell, Jim James or Lucinda Williams. He writes from the heart, about very modern and mature subjects that have never been broached equally by any other artist. To me, he strikes a similar chord as Bob Dylan, writing intimately about subjects that are both difficult to articulate and have meaning in our world. Love in the 21st century is a multilayered and often abstract idea, difficult to turn into a pleasing art form, which he has done admirably. Additionally, his charm and humor onstage are vital, which next to no other singer-songwriters possess. To me, he is a fresh breath of creativity in a genre dominated by mopey types singing about lost love. Not that that isn't good, it just becomes tiring.
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
![Father John Misty - I Love You, Honeybear [FULL ALBUM STREAM]](/img/1.gif)
I'd argue that Tillman is the best singer-songwriter to achieve major commercial success in a very long time. Both of his FJM albums are completely solid and flawless and they've never once gotten boring for me. I'll be listening to these records well into my old age, and hopefully whatever else he puts out in the years to come.
Bless Josh Tillman's existence.
Kim Alatore Jose Gonzalez too
I feel the same way. Pure Comedy didn't disappoint either.
I couldn’t agree more. I think the best songwriters right now are Kevin Parker (Tame Impala), Father John Misty, Fiona Apple, Frank Ocean, & Robin Pecknold (Fleet Foxes)
This comment has only become more true with each successive album. True brilliance.
Great comedian. He can sing pretty well.
Two talents that are made clear by Josh Tillman's acoustic performances are the strength of his songwriting and his natural musicality and vocal abilities. The brilliance of the songs shine through, even without the instrumental embellishments carefully crafted by Josh and Jonathan Wilson on the album. His lyrics, being of literary quality, are strong enough to stand alone, and his melodies appropriately accent the meaning of the text. Furthermore, his natural vocal abilities stand out from many popular vocalists in range, intonation, and tone quality. So many popular vocalists have such a limited vocal range and require assistance from a tuner to remain in tune, yet Josh is such a natural, he slides from his warm, baritone chest register to his delicate falsetto with ease.
I was so grateful to be able to attend this special event. As a music lover and vocalist, I was delighted with the music, and as a fan, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to ask Josh Tillman a question. I would like to thank KEXP for hosting this event, and I would especially like to thank Josh Tillman for being so generous with his time and talent.
With much appreciation,Jodi Franks
+J Dem well struck!
+DJoeLawless Thank you.
+J Dem fantastic appraisal. And yes, he is to me one of the best songwriters of this generation- thats how high I rate him. I actually think were it not for the humour he injects, and the profanities he would be more commercially recognised but to me thats what makes it so brilliant, the fact that he doesn't take himself seriously. His unmitigated honesty really shines through the album.
+J Dem If you don't mind me asking, what question did you ask?
+Bandstand I asked the question about personal transformation.
KEXP sound guy on point as usual, i dont know how you guys get everything you record to sound so much better than anybody else.
Word!!
+George Mcrogers Found the sound guys alternate account.
+George Mcrogers decent understanding of room sound; a live soundboard mix without ambient room sound could not be uglier
+George Mcrogers Seriously. alt-J sounded amazing.
+George Mcrogers Ken Oath. Sm57... fark
His voice is super amazing, but what I really admire is his consistency. Doesn't matter if it is a small concert, big concert, indoor, outdoor, radio, studio record, whatever, he ALWAYS sounds f* perfect. And that is nothing but pure talent. Bravo.
If Josh Tillman started a cult I'm pretty sure I'd be first in line for the Kool Aid
+SAbowser I preach the gospel of Father John! Count me in.
+SAbowser Well, he's got the hair for it
+SAbowser Interesting compliment.
Same
He has the persona of a cult leader
this man has my heart forever
johncenafanNo1 oh okay so John Cena is Second rate then HUH
best therapy session ever
you could really see the emotion in his eyes after he finished 'i went to the store one day'
This is spellbinding stuff. He's such a compelling and committed performer. An incredible song writer with a rich and emotive voice. He manages to combine cynical wit with a plain faith in the redemptive power of love - thats not easy to do. I love both of his FJM albums - but I think he could go to do something that could stand against anything.
Well put!
"Darling, come into my studio!!" Priceless. Haha.
+Karena Garnier Bring my keytar!
I adore Holy Shit.
he's the one of the most interesting people on the planet
it's like watching great music performance and stand-up at once
This guy writes and sings from the Fuckin heart. He's amazing. Dudes got a lot on his mind it seems
he's funnier than 95% of professional comedians
He's very Frank Zappa-esque imo
shut the smuck up
ogg future you must not watch stand up comedy
Isaiah De la Cruz Which comics do you like
That interview was golden.
I wish there was a vidio like this with Elliot smith.
+TELEthruVOXx you gonna have to keep wishing
This comment fucked me up
god damn this man can sing
Emmett McCleary I think he’s the best singer since Thom Yorke and Jeff Buckley.
Not only does he have a great voice, but he also is a great singer/vocalist. People tend to conflate those things but there is a difference. A lot of modern “pop singers” tend to have good voices, but they are bad singers; i.e they don’t have good delivery and don’t sing with emotion.
Great interview with a tough subject. Well done!
28:33 blushin father jah misery
them slip ons though
He's the Johnny Cash of our time frame: loaded, lawless, and lewd, much love to him.
Suena genial!
Aparte su ultimo disco es perfecto
y God`s favorite costumer es genial, y ni hablemos de pure comedy!!!!
So good.
Awesome blossom guys! Roll on 12th May when we see him next in sunny Scotland...save him from the food ;)
yeah maybe i am in love with him
I'm a Believer, bless me Father!
an unequalled lyricist - just ..... uncanny. Brilliant man - got my vote.
this is so good :-)
this is the grooooooviest !
The girl who gave him a piece of Palo Santo is on point! I smudge my room with that wood nightly.
Is this the bit at 25.30 someone from the crowd handing him something? When he says thank you?
Legend
lucky bastards who were there ;)
I just realized, he has like no eye brows lol
Now I can't unsee that...
damn it
Why god why
The man transformed into Super Saiyan 3
The man transformed into Super Saiyan 3
السلم عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته نعم هاد موقعة
interview/q&a begins at 12:53
And I love her is a great song josh
I luuuuh youuuu, Josheybear
Incredible rendition of chateau lobby
A skinnier version of 1970 Jim Morrison
I need him to teach me how to have hair like that
❤❤❤
I'm not gay but...
+zestysham maybe I did, maybe I...
+ijcn0jir3nvjn3fjcifn oh you bully :/
ain't gay as well but i would love to have him in my bed with his guitar.....his wife it's a lucky woman!
just a little bit
I'm not gay either. I'd do his wife. She's beautiful.
Any thoughts on what he’s handed from the front row, pops in his mouth and says thank you for?
Mariachi music has its origins are from 21:35 polka so yeah it’s an acquired taste .
I am 100% straight, but I find Josh to be very handsome! For a man who abuses drugs & alcohol, his skin is glowing!
maravilhoso
The girl at 28:00 was so god damn adorable.
desert raven is also my favourite!
Those couple of undone shirt buttons are killing me 😍
these vocals sound better than the reverb drenched album vocals...... how do we fix this
The reverberated vocals work on the album. The stripped-down vocals on this acoustic performance works here. Can't we enjoy them as two separate entities?
I strongly disagree. I think his vocals on the album sound amazing. I do prefer his vocals when he plays acoustic cuz I think when he does the whole “front man thing”, where he is “dancing” - tends to take away from his voice ... But the vocals on the album have to have a lot of reverb or else they would sound out of place with the rest of the mix. The album is very warm and lush, so the vocals have to match with that sound.
Wish he stuck to the melody in the verses of Chateau Lobby #4, but that's just personal preference
+Stephanie Hoffman I really like that song in the album, and I got the strong impression he forgot the order of the lyric, and he had to go on a tangent before he got back on the right stream.
hmmm interesting take! may be true
good ole canedian music at its finest there ehy
he's so precious, talented and hot af
We'd be what? WE'D BE WHAT?!!!!!
Este tío es Dios, punto final.
I need him to read me to sleep
Damn
+cameron dk damn is right
28:20 😂🤣 made my life
27:50 ... To that young woman... 😍
what did he advice her? don't be what?
Inna Agalieva don't be a pussy
Keller 95 thanks, I just thought I've misheard, always believed pussy meant smth rude, no?
Inna Agalieva I guess it could've been seen as mean but he has a really interesting sense of humour, he didn't mean it as an offense
Marry me, Cheryl Waters
but I'd take that drunk lady from the front row
I have trouble believing that beautiful woman at 28:00 is having a hard time finding a guy
Aragorn????????
YOU KNOW!!
😍😍😍😍
Where are his eyebrows?
+Cameron Shaddle who cares
Just me or is he playing in a different key than usual? Tuning seems different, brighter...I dig
+zimfan dont think so seems to be playing 1 step down, using the capo quite a bit that could be it. Plus its brighter material.
+George Mcrogers Ah thanks, George!
Yeah, full step down it seems. D standard.
Dont doubt my steadfast conviction
Anyone know if he plays this tuned down like on the album?
+Kristoffer Edvardsen ya. he always plays in d-standard (every string tuned down a whole-step).
Father John Founding Father look
yknow
+Bacon Butt y'know..like uhm, I was..y'know... and uhhh...y'know sometimes I...y'know... I uhhh, a lot of the time y'know... and it's just....y'know
Is there anyone who knows which guitar model is he playing?
Looks like a Martin D-28 with an LR Baggs m1 mic.
Drink every single time FJM says "YA know"
*dies of alcohol poisoning *
Funny how "Writing a Novel", fell right from the tree of "Paperback Writer".
"The Ballad of John and Yoko." Not "Paperback Writer."
God I would be so fucking scared of asking a question for fear of some of that incisive, acerbic wit getting thrown my way.
brill tickets sold out in London need 1
I want to be him.
Tea for the Tillman
28:20 LMFAO
Too early for him to perform on SNL.
Lol at the seemingly all female crowd
Ironic, he says "fuck the beatles" and the very next song sounds a lot like a Beatles song "the ballad of john and yoko."
I'm thinking that's the song he was alluding to before he made that sacrilegious statement.
he has no eyebrows
22:30 lmaooo
Girl at 27:45 wasn't 21 at the time and got into the show with a fake
"Fuck The Beatles" - Josh Tillman
I like how during the interview Misty just has the ladies in the palm of his hands. Who laughs at a Phil Spector joke?
His command of the whole crowd is so impressive. He’s almost flirting with the whole room. Hints of Prince, Russell Brand, Elvis or Izzy Izzard perhaps in the way the room all seem to swoon at his mere presence.
it pisses me off that he doesn't misstep like haha it lacks a human error and its making me uncomfortable
He's a hologram - like he says. ;)
The self-centered ones are always the greatest
he messed up on the last song
Chris Martinez NO
That sound hole pickup sounds awful. Why buy a nice guitar and then just make it sound like a sound like a magnetic pickup?
A better drummer. Get yer ass back to Fleet Foxes.
I've listened to this whole concert twice, and I don't get why people think this is great songwriting or performance. To me, he's pretty mediocre at best and kinda awful at worst musically, reaching for non-traditional changes and missing by a mile. He's a below average guitarist and singer, in my book. He should still be playing open mic nights at the VA and happy to make some tips. I've loved the singer/songwriter genre since it's inception, and this guy wouldn't make the top 250 singer/songwriters. For contemporaries, how about John Fullbright, or James McMurtry or Jason Isbell or JIm James or Dana Cooper or Peter Mulvey or Anais Mitchell, and on and on. That's not mentioning any of the greatest classic songwriters like Randy Newman, Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, Joni Mitchell, Lucinda WIlliams, Kris Kristofferson, Guy Clark,. Townes Van Zandt, and again I could go on at great lengths before this guy makes the list. I feel like he's putting people on and getting away with it. Sorry, I know this has been a lovefest, but I don't get it, and I keep trying. Go ahead and blame me, but hope you'll listen to some other folks and see what else is out there.
+Jim Moran I think you have a point, though it's gonna be hard to get a lot of support from those enamoured with him. Still, it comes down to expectations and yours are really high. He isn't the most amazing singer-song writer, he's flawed on both accounts, yet his music is very enjoyable and his lyrics are thought provoking. Many of the tunes are fun, he's got good rhymes, and some witty observations on the global situation (though he's not Naomi Klein on a guitar), and makes for an enjoyable time. Those who say he's great and flawless are fans, and they naturally exaggerate, but to call him awful and mediocre is also an exaggeration. He's okay.
+Funeral Giggle Thanks for the reply, very thoughtful and appreciated. Would be great if folks who love this would listen to some others that really elevate the singer/songwrter genre. Even writers in bands like Dr. Dog or My Morning Jacket. Maybe I meant modest rather than mediocre.
Yeah, his main instrument is the drums, which he played in Fleet Foxes. I think the whole Father John Misty thing was originally a way for him to exercise his demons after a break up (with Robin Pecknold's sister, no less). And he is just having fun with it. He doesn't take himself too seriously, and I think that is part of the allure of his character. If you are from or have been to Seattle where I live and here he has resided, you would know that being lighthearted about your art is a welcome and relieving thing. He's relatively young, and his lyrics to me are pretty witty and even a bit profound. Let's see how he evolves. Peace.
Thanks for the reply and the insights, really appreciate it. Controversial artist, which probably isn't a bad thing artistically!
I have to disagree. While he definitely is no master guitarist, it's the lyrics that carry his music. I'm not going to pretend that I know all of the artists that you mentioned, but I would consider FJM a finer songwriter than Jason Isbell, Jim James or Lucinda Williams. He writes from the heart, about very modern and mature subjects that have never been broached equally by any other artist. To me, he strikes a similar chord as Bob Dylan, writing intimately about subjects that are both difficult to articulate and have meaning in our world. Love in the 21st century is a multilayered and often abstract idea, difficult to turn into a pleasing art form, which he has done admirably. Additionally, his charm and humor onstage are vital, which next to no other singer-songwriters possess. To me, he is a fresh breath of creativity in a genre dominated by mopey types singing about lost love. Not that that isn't good, it just becomes tiring.
tbh this is horrible. i cringed at his guitar playing. listen to the tallest man on earth