Father John Misty, Har Mar Superstar at Neumos 5/7!

Father John Misty and Har Mar Superstar @ Neumos | 5/7 | 8pm | $13 | 21+

Photo by Maximilia Lukacs

In case you hadn’t heard, J. Tillman has left the Fleet Foxes. After drumming with the band for four years, Tillman announced earlier this year that he was leaving with the intent of working on solo material under the moniker Father John Misty. The recent release of LP Fear Fun (Sub Pop) makes it clear that these efforts have come to fruition. Recorded in Los Angeles by Jonathon Wilson and mixed in Seattle by Phil Ek (Built to Spill, Fleet Foxes, Modest Mouse), the album catches Tillman finding his own voice and tapping into a sound which is bigger than anything we have heard from him previously.

Musically, Fear Fun experiments with a number of different directions, in some places capturing the twang of outlaw country and elsewhere, channeling a more eclectic psych folk sound. Lyrically, Tillman is reflective and introverted as always, but frequently breaks from story-telling narrative to throw in lines that peak your attention. Tillman’s layered vocals on Fear Fun’s “Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings” weirdly compliment the track’s distorted guitar sounds and echo in a way that sounds slightly hymnal, especially with the singer’s constant repetition of the line “Je-eee-sus Christ girl/what are people gonna think?” The melodies are so engaging that it’s easy to forget the darker theme of the track. The show on Monday is the second stop on Father John Misty’s US tour. Next up, the band will be performing at the No Direction Home Festival in the UK.

Check out the video for “Hollywood Cemetery Sings,” directed by That Go:

A clip of Father John Misty performing on Letterman:

Photo by Denise Kozlowski

Since 2004, Har Mar Superstar has been satiating the masses with his sexually-charged RnB grooves. The man behind the mischief is Los Angeles-based artist Sean Tillmann who also contributes to such acts as Neon Neon and Sean Na Na. Known for his magnetic stage presence and outrageous persona, Har Mar Superstar often performs in nothing more than his underwear, presumably with the intention of highlighting his Ron Jeremy-esque figure. This aesthetic does nothing less than compliment his danceable blend of funk, electronica, and RnB. After releasing several albums in the early 2000s, Har Mar Superstar has of late contributed to Gayngs, a genre-bending inspired group featuring 25 different musicians including Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon and rapper P.O.S. Hopefully this gig is a sign that we’ll hear more from him soon. For time being, enjoy this sexy video: