Ballad Of The Dying Man
Sub Pop/Inertia
Maryland indie-rock folkster Joshua Tillman (AKA Father John Misty) is at it again with rustic, poetic-folk-rock-soliloquy Ballad Of The Dying Man, the first official single taken from his forthcoming album Pure Comedy (out April 7).
A ballad that lyrically holds up a mirror to the occupation of cultural critique, Tillman through the character-driven voice of the “Dying Man” takes a sarcastic, yet gentle swipe at the oft-pretentious, often ironic, world of a critic.
Rolling along gently like an old blues track with the playful lyrics from Tillman and old-school ballad drums driving the song forward, Tillman illustrates the final moments of a cultural critic through the playful lyrics illustrating the critic’s thoughts on the “overrated hacks”, “Hipsters and One-Percent’s,” before his eventual demise.
Finishing up with gospel chants slowly cranking up the timbre, Ballad Of The Dying Man finishes on a cynical, yet warm conclusion. With Tillman crooning the fact the character of the song is throwing away the mortal coil for nothing, its humour and honesty keep the stark reality of the song from sinking into depressive depths.
Its catharsis, pointlessness and pretentiousness all makes for a neatly wrapped folk-bluesy package. Containing the story-driven qualities of Tillman’s song-writing under the lens of a new character – it’s sure to let your imagination run wild.
JOSEPH WILSON
