“Yacht rock” is the answer to the question “where will Father John Misty go next?” That’s what’s implied on his new song, “Real Love Baby,” which he released via Soundcloud, accompanied only with the words “why not.”
“Real Love Baby” arrives after Misty had released a few joke tunes, mostly in the form of fake jingles — for Prius and Pandora. He also wrote lyrics to the theme song for House of Cards, and did that whole Lou Reed-covering-Ryan Adams-covering-Taylor Swift thing. So, sure, approach this song with skepticism, especially because Misty has said before that after his last album he had wanted to stop making songs about love, and this is yet another song about love.
No word yet on a new album—his last was 2015’s I Love You, Honeybear—but if it sounds anything like this easy ’70s jam, it’s gonna be good. Listen below, and get ready to sway!