Look forward to your thoughts, Sandy! I would say of any recording artists currently at it, his worldview most closely mirrors my own. He makes beautiful melodies anyone could grab a hold of, but his societal critiques and stream of consciousness (at times) mirror many of my own views AND patterns of thought, at times veering into the impressionistic and strange. So, whether you want it or not, listening to him lets you know me better!
I’d start with I Love You, Honeybear; go deeper down the rabbit hole of his consciousness with Pure Comedy.
Reporting back.
The "I Love You, Honeybear" album would make a good companion piece to the conversation in the Dating/Relationships thread here. According to Father John/Tillman, relationships can be incredibly messy and confusing, yet "surprisingly simple." Basically it's, "The world is burning around us, but hey, I like you." It's hopeful nihilism. The first time through the album, I was working in another room, so heard a ballady, pleasant, very listenable sound. Then later, I read the lyrics. There's some chaotic darkness swirling in there. I liked "I Love You, Honeybear" the most, with it's catchy sound. I kept thinking Honeybunny though.
My favorite moment in the album is at the end of it, where he lifts up to that G note and sings, "store. one. day."
G.K. Chesteron, the "prince of paradox", said, "Always be comic in a tragedy. What the deuce else can you do?" I throw my arms up and say, "Agreed." The absurdities get to be too much some times, so outlet albums like this must be very cathartic. I could spend a good deal of time just unpacking the first song "Pure Comedy." Every line cuts sharply and reopens some old wounds. That's a good thing, for as E.M. Forester said, "Pull out from the depths those thoughts that you do not understand, and spread them out in the sunlight and know the meaning of them." Shedding light on and examining old, unresolved hurts, is good healing.
Having walked away from religion 3 1/2 years ago, on bad days, I'm an apatheist, but most days I belong to the church of "each other's all we got." This song could be the anthem for us disillusioned apostates. Besides "Pure Comedy" the other song which most caught my attention is "Things It Would Have Been Helpful to Know Before the Revolution." Post Covid anthem? These lyrics made me think of
Warm Bodies.
But the tribe at the former airport
Some nights has meat and dancing
If you don't mind gathering and hunting
We're all still pretty good at eating on the run