J Tillman has been a favourite of the music staff at Readings for some years, for his most recent solo albums and of course his work with The Fleet Foxes (2008-2011). But now his new project Father John Misty has arrived and it is possibly the best thing he has done.

Musically, Fear Fun consists of such disparate elements as Waylon Jennings, Harry Nilsson, Arthur Russell, ‘All Things Must Pass’, and ‘Physical Graffiti’, often within the same song.

Tillman’s voice has never been better and often sounds like Roy Orbison, while the music maintains a dark, mysterious and yet conversely playful, almost Dionysian quality.

**Fear Fun is now out on CD ($19.95) and on vinyl ($22.95).

Dave Clarke is a music and DVD specialist at Readings Carlton.