Six fantastic albums every Father John Misty fan should listen to

Father John Misty's sardonic and often self-aware approach to songwriting makes him difficult to pin down. He pens cheeky character studies but is simultaneously capable of writing soul-bearing tunes about love and death. He's an original, but as the old adage goes, nothing is truly original.

The oldest man in folk-rock comes from a long line of ladies' men and controversial rock stars who are compelled to share their contradictions with listeners. Misty's new album, Mahashmashana, is both a stylistic mashup of his previous releases, and a bold step forward in terms of theme and maturity.

The list of albums we've compiled is not an attempt to unlock Father John Misty or diminish his singularity as an artist. Rather, they are meant to accompany his excellent catalog and serve as an expansion upon some of the genres and topics that he has dabbled in over the years. If you like you some Josh Tillman, you will probably like these artists and albums as well.

Mind Games - John Lennon

John Lennon has too many classic singles and albums to count, but Mind Games (1973) is not typically counted among them. Released at the critical and commercial low point of his career, this collection of songs does not contain a hit. Instead, it sees the former Beatle delve into his personal life and his messy relationship with wife Yoko Ono.

If you enjoy God's Favorite Customer (2018), Father John Misty's own meditation on marriage and self-doubt, then you will find a low to chew on with Mind Games. Plus, Misty covered Lennon's title track during his early touring days. That's gotta count for something.

Mythical Kings and Iguanas - Dory Previn

Dory Previn is not a household name, but she has repeatedly been cited as one of Misty's favorite songwriters. A cursory listen to her 1971 album Mythical Kings and Iguanas will make it obvious as to why. Previn, like Misty, has such a command of words that every lyric she recites carries with it an odd and slightly surreal secondary meaning.

Previn classics like "Mary C. Brown and the Hollywood Sign" and "Angels and Devils the Following Day" not only read like the titles of Misty album cuts, but they carry the same bleak yet playful tone that Misty showcased on his sprawling 2017 opus Pure Comedy.

Scott 4 - Scott Walker

Scott Walker may not seem like an obvious comparison to Father John Misty, but the idiosyncratic singer and songwriter has had a massive impact on Misty's recent output. Walker's albums, especially those that were numbered, balanced off-kilter narratives with lush orchestral arrangements that gave them a profound sense of melodrama.

Scott 4 (1969) is considered by many to be Walker's masterpiece, and those yearning for more of the eerie romanticism of Father John Misty's Chloe and the Next 20th Century (2022) will be thoroughly pleased by what they hear.

Death of a Ladies' Man - Leonard Cohen

Leonard Cohen needs no introduction, but this album probably does. Cohen linked up with wacko producer Phil Spector in an effort to break away from his typical minimal style, and he hated the final result. Death of a Ladies' Man (1977) was brutalized by fans and critics upon its release, but time has been exceedingly kind to this weird, Wall of Sound-infused gem.

The album sounds like a Sunset Strip bar right before close, and the echoey deployment of Cohen's voice over Spector's production sounds like the musical stew from which Misty's freewheeling debut Fear Fun (2012) was born. It's probably not a coincidence that Misty has a song titled "Only Son of the Ladies' Man" on the album.

Warren Zevon - Warren Zevon

Few artists made L.A. sleaze sound more noble than Warren Zevon. The singer/songwriter loved penning songs about the losers, addicts, and wannabes who made up the City of Angels, as heard through impeccable piano rockers like "Desperados Under the Eaves" and "Carmelita."

Zevon didn't shy away from the perverse appeal of these characters, nor did he see himself as being above them. He found the beauty amidst the chaos, which is the same attribute found in Father John Misty's I Love You, Honeybear (2015). If you like Misty's barroom and bedroom escapades on that LP, you will dig this self-titled release from 1976.

Eat the Worm - Jonathan Wilson

You might've noticed that each album on the list is aligned with a Father John Misty release. This closing entry breaks the pattern, but it's worth including for several reasons. For one, it's excellent. For another, Jonathan Wilson is the man who produces most of Misty's albums, so his DNA is very much ingrained in what fans love about the latter.

Wilson doesn't have his collaborator's vocal chops, but he shares an affinity for Laurel Canyon-inspired rock and lyrics that manage to be esoteric and comedic at the same time. Eat the Worm, released in 2023, is the gruff older brother to Misty's latest album. Give it a listen.

More music news and analysis: