I Love You, Honeybear

This might be the quintessential hipster album—and I mean that in a good way.Granted, there’s some debate about what constitutes a hipster, and whether it’s a pejorative term; few of them (us?) would self-identify, but if you’re wearing a beard (as Josh Tillman does) and getting an 8.8 in Pitchfork (as this album did) it’s a pretty safe bet you are one. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.Rob Horning speculated in 2009 that the hipster was the “embodiment of postmodernism as a spent force.” The postmodernism part fits—this album is clearly the work of someone who’s spent more than his share of time listening to and deconstructing other things (in this case, classic rock). There are echoes of George Harrison’s gentle guitar weepings in the beautiful and awesomely-titled “When You’re Smiling And Astride Me,” which could have been a lost track from “All Things Must Pass,” except for the fact that it’s better than everything that ended up on Disc 3 of that album. “Nothing Good Ever Happens...” features some great country-fried slide guitar; Gram Parsons might have recorded it, but for the fact that nobody could drop the f-bomb on a record back then, or say that a woman “gets down more often than a blow-up doll.” “Bored in the USA” is an obvious Springsteen reference thematically, even if it’s sonically more like Elton John. And “The Night Josh Tillman Came To Our Apartment” sounds like something the Beach Boys might have recorded, if the Beach Boys were douchebags.But this excellent album is far more than the average of its influences. It has a spark and a lacerating humor all its own; it’s funny and real and catchy and great, and I can’t stop listening to it, obsessing over it, going online to double-check lyrics, etc. One standout’s the aforementioned “The Night Josh Tillman Came To Our Apartment.” One online commenter called it the best put-down song since Bob Dylan’s “Positively 4th Street,” and that’s probably not far off the mark. Beneath the sugar-coated Beach Boy musical gloss, the snideness of the actual lyrics can be off-putting—I literally sometimes think the only thing that truly unites hipsters is their disdain for people who misuse the word “literally.” But it’s also one of those things you end up singing to yourself with gusto when nobody’s around, or even when they are. (Over the weekend, my wife and I were walking down the street when I caught myself singing: “She blames her excess on my influence but gladly hoovers all my drugs.”) And it ends memorably, with a devastatingly funny putdown that would feel misogynistic if it wasn’t also an indictment of the narrator himself, for sleeping with someone he can’t stand to be in the same room with.“Bored in the U.S.A.” is probably the grand statement, its big attempt at Springsteenian capital-M Message. Other bands like The National have attempted something similar, trading blue-collar blues for white-collar woes, and here Tillman takes his shot at the title. “How many people rise and say, ‘I’m so glad to be here for another mindless day?’” he asks. “How many people rise and think, ‘Oh good, the stranger’s body’s still here, our arrangement hasn’t changed.’” And he goes on to chronicle the standard Great Recession white man’s blues: “They gave me a useless education, a sub-prime loan, a Craftsman home.” It seems he can’t quite decide between condescension and empathy, and this strikes at the dichotomy at the heart of hipsterism: are you singing along with the common people because you love them, because you can’t do anything else with your liberal arts degree, or because you’re taking notes so you can talk about them more effectively later on? Is a shirt with three wolves objectively cool, or cool by the standards of things that get airbrushed on the side of a van, or just ironic—or can you tell anymore?But again, Tillman at least has the good sense to talk down to himself, too—and more importantly, to find something new, to bottle and sell the zeitgeist in a new formulation that you haven’t quite seen yet. “I haven’t hated all the same things as somebody else since I remember,” he sings on “Chateau Lobby #4 (in C for Two Virgins).” It’s a perfect line, simple and funny, and in this day and age, it sounds like an expression of eternal fidelity; bonding over shared hate is the hipster equivalent of love. More importantly, it gets the job done without seeming to really work at it. Similarly, the album’s high point isn’t the sometimes trying-too-hard “Bored in the USA” but the track right before, the effortlessly awesome “The Ideal Husband,” a scathing self-flagellation where Tillman takes himself to task for drinking and drugging and late-night sentimentality, wailing over a driving guitar track: “I came by at seven in the morning, said baby, I’m finally succumbing, said something dumb like I’m tired of running. Let’s put a baby in the oven. Wouldn’t I make the ideal husband?” It’s the perfect soundtrack for a generation where every guy loves being an uncle but is petrified of being a dad. And as an encapsulation of the times, the album’s right up there with The Graduate or The Big Chill. It’s no mean feat for an artist to talk smack about himself, and us, and somehow still get us to sing along.On one hand, I hope there’s still a lot more to come from Father John Misty; on the other, I can’t help but wonder if I’ll be longing for this again and again. It’s rollicking and fun, except perhaps near the end, where it turns stately and still great. The hipster wave may be cresting—you may be hearing it peak right here on this album, in the break between tracks 8 and 9—but it’s still far from spent.

I loved the previous Father John Misty album, "Fear Fun", and was initially disappointed with this new batch of songs. They didn't seem to have that same captivating quality to them. At least not initially. But after a few dozen listens, I'm won over once again. Great album!The songs may not have as many hooks as the ones on "Fear Fun" but the playful lyrics more than make over any ever-so-slight slack in the melodies. I haven't heard a singer-songwriter display such wit, wisdom, sarcasm, and sauciness since the glory days of Randy Newman. Honesty, Father John Misty, aka Josh Tillman, deserves to be recognized as one of the best songwriters around nowadays. His lyrical brilliance and melodic tunes are an addictive combination.This new album was produced by rising star Jonathan Wilson, who also sings and plays on many of the songs. The CD comes with a fold-out poster that has all the lyrics to the songs. The poster design is a bit cumbersome --- I would have preferred a "normal" booklet --- but at least you get something extra for your money. Speaking of which, there actually is a small booklet of sorts this is included with the CD, dubbed "Exercises for Listening." These "exercises", it turns out, are very funny tips from Mr. Tillman on how the listener can better appreciate certain songs on the album. For "I Went to the Store One Day," for example, he suggests:Go to a store you darkly shuffle through for cigarettes and glass bottles of water everydayLay down in one of the aislesWait for someone to pick you upI'm not sure I'm willing to try that one, but for a musical "pick up" this CD is a winner from start to finish!

Fear Fun is one of my favorite releases of recent vintage, upon first listen(s) Ididn't think Honeybear...was up to that brilliance. After getting used to the differencesI find this album to be great--for the most part. For me the first three songs arethe weakest, not bad but a bit too personal perhaps, but for the second half ofthe album there is some real brilliance here, Jonathan Wilson's productionand playing stand out (maybe not quite as dynamically as on FF). A few songs aremasterful--Nothing Good Ever Happens...., The Ideal Husband, and Bored In The USAare all top shelf--the laugh track on Bored...is at once humorous and scary but makethe song a standout in this or any album.A crooner for the 21st century FJM is one of the best writers working let's hope hecontinues the great writing and keeps JW as a producer/sideman. 4&1/2 *s

My daughter is in LOVE with this CD! The insert comes out as a poster with tons of detail!Beautiful artwork!

Have not even bought this yet, however I recommend it twice over! Father John Misty is one of the most brilliant songwriters of today, and his ironic, sadistic, and honestly just amusing lyrics play well with his beautiful, love-saturated feel of I Love You Honeybear. Amazing second album about himself finding love, not to mention the pink vinyl.. after a slight screw up from sub pop on the tri-color deluxe edition with intense packaging, this pink vinyl is a rare find, and beautiful at that! Good job newbury and good job FJM

Loved his first album and when I got the money, I immediately bought this one. It's even more developed and original than the first. Father John Misty is definitely one of those artists that doesn't really fit the norm. He makes the music he wants to make and I respect that. He's very unique and that's what makes him worth listening too.

The cd case did not contain a disc which was a super weird bummer and an unexpected first. I was able to at least download the music since I bought it via amazon. I'm not thrilled about having to burn my own disc, but I was too wimpy/lazy too try sending it back. The packaging is amusing and awesome, made me wish I bought vinyl instead of cd. The songs are fantastic.

No sé si sea sólo mi versión pero si noto que en las últimas dos canciones se alenta el sonido. Desconozco la causa, pero la mayoría de la canciones suenan perfectas

Lacks some of the bounce and humour of his first CD as FJM, but still a great listen. Some great melodies and instrumentals.

No 1

Definitivamente de principio a fin es un album espectacular. Una de las mejores producciones de Father John Misty. Totalmente Recomendado!

His style is interesting if not repetitive. It is unfortunate that Fleet Foxes have not been as productive since he left them to go solo.