Watch Father John Misty Sing New Song “Tell It Like It Is” In Brooklyn
Father John Misty has been on tour with his “Mr. Tillman” hotel neighbor Jason Isbell lately, and he’s been using the occasion to debut new material. Early in the month he performed “Time Makes A Fool Of Us” in San Diego, and this past weekend in Minneapolis he played one that was supposedly intended for A Star Is Born. (Unlike Isbell’s contribution to the soundtrack, Misty’s was rejected.)
Last night in Brooklyn at the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn Festival, FJM played a third new song called “Tell It Like It Is.” He actually debuted it in Detroit on Monday, but last night’s gig yielded some excellent up-close video. It’s dark, spacious music fit for the middle of the night, with Josh Tillman delivering long spoken-word passages between melodious refrains of, “If you tell it like it is/ Then lover, I will let you in.” Another standout line: “Now what’s this piss your’re drinking? Are you trying to make the spirits laugh?” It adds up to Tillman’s version of a National song, or maybe Bob Dylan’s Time Out Of Mind crossed with Bon Iver. It has me pretty intrigued about what the follow-up to 2018’s magnificent God’s Favorite Customer might sound like.
Watch the whole song play out below.
New Misty album soon?