Chloë and the Next 20th Century

by Father John Misty

Released April 8, 2022 via Sub Pop / Bella Union

Reviewed April 20, 2022

Top tracks (based on community voting)

Goodbye Mr. Blue (48%), Buddy's Rendezvous (46%), Funny Girl (46%)

On the first Father John Misty record in nearly four years, Josh Tillman continues to steer his sound in a softer, more pop-oriented direction. Chloë and The Next 20th Century sees Tillman leaning into old-timey nostalgia, harkening back to an era of pop music that thrived years and even decades prior to his birth. Far from the first artist to dig their heels into the sound of a distinct era, Tillman’s excursion into the worlds of vocal jazz, orchestral pop, and lounge music is surprisingly refreshing. Father John Misty embraces the role of a soft-spoken singer circa the 1950s—penning love ballads and somber tales, crooning as the big band plays behind him. Drew Erickson, who’s previously worked with Lana Del Rey and Weyes Blood, is the man behind the arrangements, and it is under his direction that the retro aesthetic of Chloë and The Next 20th Century truly comes to life. The numerous musicians that put these arrangements on record work beautifully together, and each track feeds into the next seamlessly, while still offering up something slightly different than the one that proceeds it. While the reliance on a sound from an era long gone may make it feel like a novelty record at times, Chloë and The Next 20th Century exercises in homage are almost as good as can be. – Dominick (8/10)