I Love You, Honeybear is the sophomore album from former Fleet Foxes drummer, J Tillman. His debut, Fear came out in 2013 and I'll be honest, I sadly overlooked that LP when it came out. However, in preparation for this new album I did give Fear Fun a fair shake; it's great, go listen to it.
If that seemed like a blunt recommendation it's only because I'm excited to tell you how fantastic I Love You, Honeybear is. Where Fear Fun felt like a quirky, country tinged ode to debauchery and other assorted revelry, ILYH is in many ways (musically and emotionally) a big leap in maturity for J Tillman.
That isn't really surprising considering the inspiration and concept behind this album; Tillman's life before and after marrying his wife, Emma. While this concept and the album title may lead you to think this is some sappy, cooing ode to love, it is. But, it is also a hard look at the changes that a person goes through during the truly confusing, wonderful time between meeting and eventually marrying the love of your life.
The album kicks off with the title track which is a sweeping ode to his wife, assuring his love that he doesn't care what the world thinks as long as he has her. It is an incredibly personal and sweet opener that sets the tone and prepares the listener for how confessional and open the rest of the album is.
The following track "Chateau Lobby #3" is another sweet song, but also features lines describing Tillman lifting his wife's wedding dress that "somebody probably died in", which is both slightly morbid, and funny all at the same time. Really, those two adjectives could be used to describe most of this album; Tillman has a real knack for painting pictures of situations that are simultaneously heartwarming and a little uncomfortable.
Other great tracks on this album include the country influenced "The Night Josh Tillman Came To Our Appt." and the soulful "When You're Smiling And Astride Me". These tracks, along with the incredible closer "I Went To The Store One Day" showcase Tillman's songwriting at it's strongest, and so honest and wordy, it's like reading from Tillman's own journal which this album seems to shoot for.
Of course, I can't review this album without mentioning the track that is most likely going to be the song that everyone looks back on when thinking about ILYH, and that is the hilariously earnest and scathing "Bored In The USA", a track that starts by analyzing the idea of relationships, but ends up critiquing American politics and "the American Dream". Though this track does feature what I think is a laugh track? Though it could be recorded from a live concert, I don't know. Either way, this track is certainly one of this year's smartest and funniest (and it's not even March yet.)
9.3/10
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