SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FATHER JOHN MISTY – MAHASHMASHANA

FATHER JOHN MISTY
MAHASHMASHANA
SUB POP RECORDS

Josh Tillman, also known as Father John Misty, has been making music for over 20 years. Since 2012’s Fear Fun, the majority of releases are under the name Father John Misty. Mahashmashana is Father John Misty’s first album since 2022’s Chloё And The Next 20th Century. His album, Greatish Hits: I Followed My Dreams and My Dreams Said to Crawl, included one song from Mahashmashana, (“I Guess Time Just Makes Fools Of Us All”) which did not give anything away in terms of the new album.

Mahashmashana, refers to the Sanskrit word for “great cremation ground”. Given the title, this album may be less optimistic than his last, but as with any Father John Misty albums, there is a lot to discover throughout the whole album. The opening track, for example, “Mahashmashana” is a full-scale rock opera. Beautiful, melodic, and incredibly moving. It is epic in scope. “She Cleans Up” follows, and this is more of a straight-ahead rock song, more sparse, whereas “Josh Tillman And The Accidental Dose” taps into early-solo Paul McCartney, and makes an excellent use of the electric piano. The arrangement, however, shifts and the use of strings brings to mind The Beatles circa 1967.

Father John Misty’s voice has never sounded better, and the end result is a brilliant album. “Mental Health” is trademark Father John Misty, which is always a good thing. Father John Misty always expands his musical journeys, but it is always comforting to hear him do what he does best.

Father John Misty continues to write remarkably strong songs, both lyrically and musically. He does not stick to one particular style or genre, but instead, feels the freedom to move into different sounds and arenas and he has the talent to do so. Once again, he is working with very talented musicians, who help him bring his vision to the recorded world. Mahashmashana continues to demonstrate just how gifted this artist is and how comfortable he is with experimentation. He never sacrifices any song for the sake of being different, but rather expands the boundaries of a song.

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