The spot on melodic qualities of Fleet Foxes music are in full effect here, which shouldn’t come as a surprise considering many of the backing musicians on Fear Fun are the same folks who helped make Helplessness Blues a reality, and songs like "Only Son of the Ladiesman" and "Nancy From Now On" may as well have been included on the latter.
Thankfully Tillman is adept at making this kind of music, and the third track, "Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings", is a no nonsense bit of dusty, Neil Young-ish rock ‘n’ roll, which is quickly followed by the twinkling, upbeat piano of "I’m Writing A Novel", the happiest song of the bunch. He chronicles his drugged out journey from Seattle to L.A. on lovely closer "Everyman Needs a Companion", and the drift of the open road and a narcotic haze are palpable throughout.
Tillman is able to consistently set himself apart from his former band in one very important area, lyrics. It’s in his words that you see Father John Misty manifest himself clearly. "Nancy From Now On" begins with this attention getter: "Pour me a drink and punch me in the face, you can call me Nancy", and on "Misty’s Nightmare’s 1 & 2" he proves himself to be a clever wordsmith, "Gonna take my life, gonna take my life back one day".
As the album closes he sings, "Joseph Campbell and the Rolling Stones couldn’t give me a myth so I had to write my own". This is a fairly bold statement, especially from someone who never really gets out from underneath his previous work. Still, Tillman proves himself an able songwriter and solid musician; we may just have to wait for the myth of Father John Misty to grow over time.
Grade: C+
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