The piano is playing itself
November 12, 2014 8:44 AM   Subscribe

 
Sweet President Jesus that song/performance was brilliant.
posted by GrapeApiary at 8:55 AM on November 12, 2014 [2 favorites]


So great.

And yes, he's that much fun live.
posted by rock swoon has no past at 9:05 AM on November 12, 2014


If he's that bored he should take more piano lessons! What a self-important hipster.
posted by ReeMonster at 9:18 AM on November 12, 2014 [2 favorites]


*cue lone ranger theme*
posted by Potomac Avenue at 9:25 AM on November 12, 2014


Here we make dividing distinctions between those "who get it" and those "who don't get it" (to paraphrase one of the articles). I really prefer not to have to "get" my musical entertainment. Yes, I also find Fleet Foxes insufferable.
posted by humboldt32 at 9:27 AM on November 12, 2014 [4 favorites]


The overture to Rossini's William Tell?
posted by koeselitz at 9:29 AM on November 12, 2014


Here we make dividing distinctions between those "who get it" and those "who don't get it"

Exactly. I get it, and yet I don't. Why is this worthy of our attention? A message so negative, so cynical, so obvious, so banal, and so tired. What does this lumberjack think he's adding to any discussion of mid-life crisis or American boredom (whatever the hell that is).. I'm sick of these acts who seem to think America is the only country where some people feel stagnant or culturally empty, or where they hate their false politicians or fake religions, etc.. Fuck this guy.
posted by ReeMonster at 9:29 AM on November 12, 2014


I'm a little in the 'don't get it camp', but I think it's good to remember that FJM is kind of playing a character, and so any evidence of self-importance should be seen as a bit of a parody of self-important political songs. Then again, that probably makes the 'don't get it' people hate him even more.
posted by Think_Long at 9:33 AM on November 12, 2014 [2 favorites]


Reemonster--you said it bit stronger than I would but the phrase "........America is the only country where some people feel stagnant or culturally empty, or where they hate their false politicians or fake religions, etc." is on target for many reasons.
posted by rmhsinc at 9:33 AM on November 12, 2014


I loved it, but as a godless cynical anarchist lumberjack I'm the target audience!

Check out his album Fear Fun if you haven't. It's great.
posted by schyler523 at 9:42 AM on November 12, 2014


It's interesting how furious people get with songs sung in character. Are some folks this upset with Kinks songs?
posted by rock swoon has no past at 9:44 AM on November 12, 2014 [3 favorites]


well, let's be fair, it is a pretty dumb character
posted by koeselitz at 9:46 AM on November 12, 2014 [2 favorites]


I cannot even begin to parse ReeMonster's comment.
posted by spaltavian at 9:47 AM on November 12, 2014 [3 favorites]


And yet what message is more negative, more cynical, more obvious, more banal, and more tired than "fuck this guy"
posted by thetruthisjustalie at 9:54 AM on November 12, 2014 [14 favorites]


It's interesting how furious people get with songs sung in character. Are some folks this upset with Kinks songs?

Try asking that question to Ray or Dave Davies.
posted by Smart Dalek at 9:55 AM on November 12, 2014 [1 favorite]




So, it's Randy Newman with a beard?
posted by davebush at 10:00 AM on November 12, 2014 [1 favorite]


A YouTuber compared him to Warren Zevon, which now that I think about it, makes a fair bit of sense. I quite liked several songs off Fear Fun.

I ran down the road, pants down to my knees, screaming "please come help me, that Canadian shaman gave a little too much to me!" / And I'm writing a novel, because it's never been done before.
posted by Diablevert at 10:02 AM on November 12, 2014 [2 favorites]


I've read several of the links, trying to "get it," and have come to the conclusion that it's too much work given the quality of the song. I mean, it's a fine song and all. But just not worth the work for me, evidently. Also, I am old.

The large print giveth and the small print taketh away.
posted by jbickers at 10:03 AM on November 12, 2014 [5 favorites]


i never fail to be shocked by the knee jerk toxicity some people have towards art that doesn't speak to them.
posted by JimBennett at 10:04 AM on November 12, 2014 [22 favorites]


I have complicated feelings towards the Father John Misty character, but I have no qualms about saying that Josh Tillman writes great music.
posted by mrjohnmuller at 10:08 AM on November 12, 2014


Put Dave to sleep, usually he's right there with the glad hand.

Also, is that jheri-curl in his beard?
posted by Catblack at 10:09 AM on November 12, 2014


I don't get what's causing all the commotion here. I don't have a strong reaction either way, but it didn't seem over-the-top affected or anything.

So why all the hate? The chorus? The laugh track?
posted by graphnerd at 10:11 AM on November 12, 2014


JimBennett: “i never fail to be shocked by the knee jerk toxicity some people have towards art that doesn't speak to them.”

You may find it shocking. I gather Josh Tillman finds it giddily delightful, and counts it as proof that his music has succeeded in its intentions.

graphnerd: “So why all the hate? The chorus? The laugh track?”

The lyrics are all very dumb, self-important tropes about "white Jesus" and being bored and sigh sigh sigh I am young and it is so so hard being a boring American blah and also look at my beard. It's like a big ball of all the things people mean when they unironically complain about "hipsters." So if people are sick of beardy self-important dudes from Brooklyn having the limelight, they are really gonna hate Father John Misty.

Which, uh, I guess is the point?
posted by koeselitz at 10:15 AM on November 12, 2014 [5 favorites]


Okay. Sure. Yeah.

(pretends to get it. gazes at grey hair in mirror. accepts his age. puts on an album from 1985. feels better.)
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:15 AM on November 12, 2014 [4 favorites]


I mean: doesn't anybody remember Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros?
posted by koeselitz at 10:22 AM on November 12, 2014


I'm feeling pretty depressed about living in the States, especially given how violent and angry people are here. Apparently people are bored too.
posted by kuatto at 10:23 AM on November 12, 2014 [1 favorite]


Almost sort of tangentially related: Letterman fave Jason Isbell and his wife Amanda Shires do a spooky, spare cover of "Born in the USA." Kind of the other end on the sincerity spectrum.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:30 AM on November 12, 2014 [1 favorite]


The grand piano that played itself was interesting. What's that about? Midi? A hipster player piano?

The song itself? Not so much.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 10:30 AM on November 12, 2014


Exactly. I get it, and yet I don't. Why is this worthy of our attention? A message so negative, so cynical, so obvious, so banal, and so tired. What does this lumberjack think he's adding to any discussion of mid-life crisis or American boredom (whatever the hell that is).. I'm sick of these acts who seem to think America is the only country where some people feel stagnant or culturally empty, or where they hate their false politicians or fake religions, etc.. Fuck this guy.

Perhaps, he should write from the POV of another culture he's never been immersed in. We all know how much the internet loves that sort of thing. And as the links indicate, it could be a nod to the earlier satire of "Born in the USA."

I disagree that it's a banal or tired message. It's great that you're so wise and world-weary, but for some (say in their teens or early 20s) folks this might be their first exposure to these ideas. The song's aim is criticism, not cynicism, unlike your comment.
posted by GrapeApiary at 10:31 AM on November 12, 2014 [3 favorites]


it could be a nod to the earlier satire of "Born in the USA."

Definitely, but a big part of me wonders if he even understood that Born in the USA was a really critical and subversive song. Maybe "Bored" is as well.. but it's so maudlin and full of itself. And awkward. Born in the USA was a "rock" song, and so, even more powerful. I'm not sure how or why this whiny pseudo-folk ballad is supposed to be entertaining, or is it ONLY supposed to be "thought-provoking"? Or deep? Or a big "haha" for those in the know?

The Yamaha is a "Disklavier" piano.. they've been around for a while, it's basically a midi player-piano and so, highly programmable. You can play into it or program it and it will playback almost exactly what you played, within its variables of dynamics and so on. The kind of toy rich people will buy for their house and they don't have to hire someone to play it, just pop in a disk and have a grand piano perform during their cocktail hours.
posted by ReeMonster at 10:45 AM on November 12, 2014


I have complicated feelings towards the Father John Misty character, but I have no qualms about saying that Josh Tillman writes great music.


Right there with you. I could speak at length about what's wrong and right with FJM, but I'll summarize it instead: I vastly prefer the intimate emotional honesty of J. Tillman to the detached, wry snark of Father John Misty.
posted by god hates math at 10:53 AM on November 12, 2014


intimate emotional honesty of J. Tillman to the detached, wry snark of Father John Misty

Two sides of the same coin? THIS is why I'm so suspicious and skeptical of this kind of musical artist. How about just be honest without having to create a character to pander to the ironic hipster side of "Oh woe is white, woe is me, I am going to hold up a mirror to society cuz that's what artistes do, man... and I'mma have a string section to boot." I can't really take the real Tillman seriously if he thinks Father John Misty is a worthy way of getting more attention as a songwriter and revitalizing his career.

It was fun to listen to my friend tell me about that gig (she was one of the violin players): "Umm, I dunno, it's some bearded asshole singing about how much it sucks to be white or something. I think he's trying to pull a "Joaquin Phoenix" but it doesn't really work live. The recording was good and he has talent but I think it's kinda cheap."

Yeah, I guess she dissected it more intelligently than I could.
posted by ReeMonster at 11:04 AM on November 12, 2014 [1 favorite]


I think the laugh track is actually genius.
posted by Corduroy at 11:08 AM on November 12, 2014 [4 favorites]


I've been singing "Writing a Novel" with my band for almost a year. Never gets old. FJM 4 eva
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 11:13 AM on November 12, 2014 [3 favorites]


MetaFilter: Some bearded asshole singing about how much it sucks to be white or something.
posted by WalkingAround at 11:13 AM on November 12, 2014 [6 favorites]


I can't really take the real Tillman seriously if he thinks Father John Misty is a worthy way of getting more attention as a songwriter and revitalizing his career.

I don't think that motivation is really accurate, as he left Fleet Foxes right after their most well-received albums ever*.

I assume good faith when it comes to artists and their choices, so I think that him choosing this persona, regardless of if it works or not, is what he believes to be the strongest artistic choice he can make.

*I think. I haven't actually followed indie/popular music in many years
posted by Think_Long at 11:14 AM on November 12, 2014


So if people are sick of beardy self-important dudes from Brooklyn having the limelight, they are really gonna hate Father John Misty.

Just say hipster. You don't need to dog whistle it.

When I was young I dreamt of a passionate obligation to a roommate

This may be one of the saddest lines I have ever heard in a song. Character, no character, he's eloquently expressing a sort of desperation that people experience and is as worth being articulated as anything else.

Not for you? There is a probably a remote somewhere and another channel playing something you would prefer.
posted by maxsparber at 11:28 AM on November 12, 2014 [8 favorites]


I don't even know this guy before or after his previous album as Father John Misty but I wouldn't have said ironic detachment is his thing. Or not his only thing anyway.
posted by atoxyl at 11:44 AM on November 12, 2014


max, I'm usually on board with that kind of "not for you? move on" anti-taste police defense, but, in this case FJM seems like he's heavy trolling. I just for the life of me can't figure out who. Or like, who he ISN"T trolling. He's trolling rockists surely. And Gen X fogeys. But also folk sincerity? I guess cf Will Oldham tho' too. And Lambchop. Adam Green. And early Mt. Goats. Nice company to be in, self-trollers.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 11:50 AM on November 12, 2014


i just liked the song. whatever irony, detachment, trolling, or cynicism may be present, it spoke to me, as a 22 year old white male. so i don't know. clearly he's being tongue in cheek but i think at some level he believes what he's singing. or maybe not i don't even know.
posted by JimBennett at 12:14 PM on November 12, 2014 [2 favorites]


His performance seemed heartfelt despite the obvious irony.

I also thought the laugh track was smart, in the way he's preemptively ridiculing himself on behalf of all the people who find these truisms banal, cliche, stupid etc. IDK whatever, nevermind.
posted by nikoniko at 12:18 PM on November 12, 2014 [4 favorites]


I'm confused that people are happy to accept that FJM is Tillman playing a character here, but nevertheless choose to interpret the song as reflecting Tillman's own heartfelt attitudes.

My impression was that the song was mocking a certain kind of affected disdain for America and its culture that seems to be fashionable among a certain type of hip young white male.
posted by pipeski at 12:25 PM on November 12, 2014 [1 favorite]


>> So, it's Randy Newman with a beard?

> A YouTuber compared him to Warren Zevon


*cough*
posted by Sys Rq at 12:28 PM on November 12, 2014 [3 favorites]


Try asking that question to Ray or Dave Davies.

I would, but I thought we were all aware that Dave's not here...
posted by rock swoon has no past at 12:40 PM on November 12, 2014


Don't know anything about the "character" or the ironic/not ironic business, (and don't really care) but I thought it was a pretty great performance.
I can see the player piano thing being annoying if he did it more than this one time. Love the laugh track. Love the lounging across the piano. Love the falsetto. Love the strings.
posted by chococat at 12:50 PM on November 12, 2014 [2 favorites]


When discussing his motivations behind the creation of the name, Tillman paraphrases Philip Roth: "'It’s all of me and none of me, if you can’t see that, you won’t get it.' What I call it is totally arbitrary, but I like the name. You’ve got to have a name. I never got to choose mine."
-Wikipedia

I don't see why the song and/or his character can't be both heartfelt and ironic, serious and mocking, optimistic yet full of cynicism...

With regards to the fashionable affected disdain for America and its culture among hip white males I'm (un)fortunately sort of ignorant?
posted by nikoniko at 1:31 PM on November 12, 2014 [3 favorites]


max, I'm usually on board with that kind of "not for you? move on" anti-taste police defense, but, in this case FJM seems like he's heavy trolling.

I don't know. He's doing something, and it's getting a reaction, and I'm not ready to dismiss it. There's an intelligence there and it has made me curious. Whatever he's up to, there's some genuinely fine songwriting going on as well.
posted by maxsparber at 2:12 PM on November 12, 2014


I can't really take the real Tillman seriously if he thinks Father John Misty is a worthy way of getting more attention as a songwriter and revitalizing his career.

You know, I'm pretty sure that you're dead on, and that's what's happening. I basically have decided to ignore that, though, because a lot of his work as J. Tillman speaks to me in a way that almost nothing else does. And this is not to say that I don't think there's value in what he's doing as Father John Misty. It's just not my thing.
posted by god hates math at 4:37 PM on November 12, 2014


Potomac Avenue: “He's trolling rockists surely. And Gen X fogeys. But also folk sincerity? I guess cf Will Oldham tho' too. And Lambchop. Adam Green. And early Mt. Goats. Nice company to be in, self-trollers.”

That's why I mentioned Edward Sharpe: singer-songwriter guy from LA takes Jesusy alter ego to croon Bible-tinged feel-good folk-rock songs of yearning that mention down-home things sort of randomly ("Alabama, Arkansas, I sure love my ma and pa...") – I mean, it's pretty much the template Father John Misty seems to be riffing on, only Sharpe was awful and cheesy without any awareness of it.
posted by koeselitz at 6:41 PM on November 12, 2014


Heh. I bought Fear Fun because of this thread. It's pretty great. "I'm Writing a Novel" is super-fun.
posted by mr_roboto at 3:42 PM on November 13, 2014 [2 favorites]


I see aware artifice but also sincerity, emotion and intent here. Not all that unlike, say, Destroyer or Jens Lekman. Some of the comments in this thread are bumming me out.
posted by naju at 11:24 AM on November 14, 2014 [1 favorite]


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