With Chloe and the Next 20th Century, the conceptual tendencies are back, only this time the concept seems to revolve around mid 20th century Hollywood, from the showgirl on its black and white cover to the big band orchestration that acts as the main musical backdrop for the album. Of course, these cinematic sounds aren't completely alien to Josh Tillman's output as Father John Misty; however, it's never been the focus of the show like it is here.
It's a rather large risk, then, and one that Tillman throws himself into readily; from the opening bleat of Chloe, that old time jazzy swagger asserts itself and rarely lets loose its grip. One exception comes early in the form of Goodbye Mr. Blue, a heartbreaking highlight that wears its Harry Nilsson influence like a snug, warm overcoat, Tillman crooning about the loss of a pet cat that was the last remnant of a failed relationship; it's striking and stunning.
Kiss Me (I Loved You) comes next, further eulogizing love lost over a saccharine arrangement that's tasteful but otherwise underwhelming; ditto (Everything But) Her Love, which features a slightly quicker tempo and some added percussion but fails to truly hold my attention. That's followed by Buddy's Rendezvous, yet another lush ballad that moves at a slower pace but a more interesting overall presentation (including a very pleasant saxophone). Q4 picks it up a notch with a sweeping and colourful orchestration, snappy rhythm and an intriguing criticism of the entertainment industry.
The album's second half starts off with a bit of a left turn in the multilingual bossa nova swinger Olvidado (Otro Momento), which is something I never thought I'd have to say about any album ever. Funny Girl, the album's official lead single, follows; it was a bit of a head scratcher upon its original release and, even if its moonlit big band balladry makes more sense in the context of the album, I still don't hear anything approaching single potential in it. By the time we float through the fiddle-infused Only a Fool and the darkly playful penultimate track We Could Be Strangers run their course, it's been a very vibrant journey that's covered a lot of sonic ground and had perhaps equal servings of peaks and valleys.
The closing track, when it comes to wrapping up the thematic arc, leaves everything unanswered; The Next 20th Century, written early in the album's process, leaves the entire motif behind and forges into the 21st century with a synth/folk dirge that manages to devote an entire verse to Val Kilmer and features a sudden, jarring electric guitar solo. It's thematically and sonically removed from everything else we've heard to this point on the album, and its inclusion makes no logical sense; that said, it's far and away the most exciting and immediate song on Chloe and the Next 20th Century.
It's not easy to think of a comparable record in recent memory, but the one that kept nagging at me throughout the playthrough was Arctic Monkeys' Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino, wherein the band followed a star-making, R&B-inspired rock blockbuster with a spaced-out concept and a dull lounge aesthetic. It's not as far a detour for a Father John Misty record, but it's almost as disappointing; I applaud Tillman for committing fully to the bit, at least up until that stellar last song, and I'll never tell anyone they're stepping out of line for attempting to push their sound into new directions and/or subverting expectations. It's just that here the direction is far too niche, the arrangements grow far too tiresome and the end result feels far less notable for its concept than for what's accomplished when said concept is abandoned.
April 8, 2022 • Sub Pop/Bella Union
Highlights Goodbye Mr. Blue • Buddy's Rendezvous • The Next 20th Century
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