Father John Misty: Chloë & the Next 20th Century (2LP, Loser edition, clear blue vinyl) [SUB POP]

Why you'll love it

Sub Pop's Loser edition spreads the album over two clear blue LPs in a gatefold jacket. It's Josh Tillman's lush big band and strings album, co-produced with Jonathan Wilson, with "Funny Girl," "Q4" and "Goodbye Mr. Blue."

This edition

• 2LP set
• Clear blue vinyl
• Loser edition
• Gatefold jacket

About the album

Josh Tillman spent the pandemic in the 1930s, more or less. Writing through 2020, he set aside the folk rock of his earlier records and reached for big band, jazz standards and old Hollywood pop, then cut the basic tracks with longtime collaborator Jonathan Wilson at Wilson's new Fivestar Studios in the hills of Topanga. Lyrically he swapped confession for storytelling, writing narrative, short story style songs steeped in an older, glitzier era.

Strings, brass and woodwinds went down at United Recordings with players including trumpeter Wayne Bergeron and saxophonist Dan Higgins, arranged by Drew Erickson. "Funny Girl" swoons like a lost torch song, "Q4" booms in a way that recalls John Barry's film scores, and "Goodbye Mr. Blue" tips its hat to Harry Nilsson's "Everybody's Talkin'." The long closing title track brings back the electric guitar and the big questions.

Mojo heard it as a Hollywood album moving from the '30s to the '60s, and critics noted a warmer, more hopeful tone than on God's Favorite Customer. Sub Pop calls this pressing the Loser edition, which is the kindest thing anyone has called us all week.

Also at Kops: more Father John Misty on vinyl · browse Singer-Songwriter

Tracklist

Listen

On Sub Pop (cat# SP1430), the 2022 album.