It really seems a bit late in the year for a label to be putting out something this good. Some critics have already put together their best of 2021 lists, but they may have to break out an eraser, and be prepared to pencil in Mainly Gestalt Pornography, the new one from Pearly Gate Music. The Barsuk release, out on Friday, is full of plaintive indie-rock, of the kind that straddles the borders of folk and chamber pop. Fans of Zachary Tillman's brother (Father John Misty) may embrace this too, though this certainly stands on its own, on its own terms.
Some of this, like "Finally, The Secret" seems like a cousin to what Fruit Bats have been doing lately, though the better stuff here goes further back. "Life is a Dream", an elegiac march, seems to owe a huge debt to Plastic Ono Band-era Lennon, while "The Moon" takes that style and embellishes it a bit. Tillman's indie is decidedly heartfelt, with only a few moments here not connecting ("Stefani"). At his best, Zachary pours his soul into this stuff, enough that he recalls early Elliott Smith at times, though the hooks here are somehow more spacious. There are no duds on this album, though some of it resonates so strongly with a listener that it's hard to imagine all of it working at the same pitch. That enough of this is so good, is good enough to earn this a spot on those best of 2021 lists, for sure.
Mainly Gestalt Pornography is out on Barsuk on Friday.
[Photo: Barsuk]