8/10

Ever since progressive artist Joshua Tillman changed his moniker from J. Tillman to Father John Misty, he has found himself wrapped up in a bubble of warm and exciting praise. While he churned out countless releases under his former guise, it is his latest venture that has allowed him not only to stand out from the crowd, but given him almost infinite license to explore the outer limits of his sound. And now after dazzling us with his sensational 2018 LP 'God's Favorite Character', he returns with his fifth studio album 'Chloë And The Next 20th Century', a record that sees him hark back to a simpler time.

The main identifier within his direction has been a subtle mix of wit and humour layered amongst retro and nostalgic aesthetics, and for 'Chloë And The Next 20th Century', he has leaned into the latter hard. Keeping the sweet and sweeping textures of his country and folk-inspired roots as humble as possible, he croons his way through this wonderfully broad and inviting collection. Reimagining those truly classic love songs for a modern ear, he has almost reinvented himself as a name looking to reintroduce his audience to his most beloved influences, creating a shimmering listen in the process.

It is fair to say that under Father John Misty, Tillman has finally found his most inspired material to date, and continues to find new and interesting avenues to explore. 'Chloë And The Next 20th Century' is a beautifully composed full-length release that shows him in most confident light so far.