Hear Father John Misty Rock Gently on ‘Real Love Baby’

Father John Misty has released a sublime new song, “Real Love Baby,” explaining the track with a succinct two-word description on SoundCloud: “Why not.”

The song finds Father John Misty — real name Josh Tillman — treading similar territory as he did on 2015’s I Love You, Honeybear. “Real Love Baby” moves sweetly with a bongo-laced, soft-rock groove cut through with a gritty guitar line. Tillman’s classic pop vocals give the song an even mix of schmaltz and sincerity.

Earlier this week, Tillman posted a cheeky demo he said was written for a Toyota Prius commercial — in it he imitates Bruce Springsteen — while in January, he released a series of “rejected” Pandora promos. Outside his own music, Tillman recently scored a writing credit on Beyoncé’s Lemonade cut, “Hold Up,” penning a verse and the song’s refrain.

Tillman continues to tour in support of I Love You, Honeybear, with a string of European dates scheduled through the rest of the month. He’ll return to the U.S. in June for a handful of dates, including sets at Governors Ball and Bonnaroo, before playing another stretch of concerts in July.