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Father John Misty Casts Macaulay Culkin As Kurt Cobain In New Video

You'll need a few viewings to make any sense out of the new Father John Misty video for "Total Entertainment Forever." The song is, at least in part, an indictment against popular culture, the blind adoration of pop stars and the rampant obsession with virtual reality.

The video, produced by the art collective 4GB (Four Gods And A Baby), opens in a cartoon-like, papier-mâché world, with Macaulay Culkin starring as a crucified Kurt Cobain. Josh Tillman (aka Father John Misty) plays some sort of Captain Hook character, filled with demented glee over the torturous mess that unfolds. It certainly seems to be saying ... something pretty heavy. "Not bad," sings Tillman, "for a race of demented monkeys, from a cave to a city to a permanent party."

"Total Entertainment Forever" is from Father John Misty's latest album, Pure Comedy, out now on Sub Pop Records.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Robin Hilton is a producer and co-host of the popular NPR Music show All Songs Considered.