LONDON ¨C Josh Tillman was in Japan when he made a life changing decision: to quit as drummer of Fleet Foxes and finally pursue the sort of music he¡¯d always wanted to make. His swan song came in Tokyo.

¡°I remember the gig was oddly unceremonious,¡± he says. ¡°Those experiences rarely deliver.¡± Tillman feared obscurity beckoned: how wrong he was. He reinvented himself as singer-songwriter Father John Misty and returns to Japan next week as folk-rock¡¯s A-list errant provocateur, boasting three acclaimed albums, songwriting credits for Beyonce and Lady Gaga and, as of last month, a Grammy award.

His latest record, 2017¡¯s ¡°Pure Comedy,¡± peels away the layers of modern life. A 75-minute opus, its lush music slowly unfurls as Tillman empathetically dissects the human condition with sharp satire. That it aligned with the era of U.S. President Donald Trump seemed apposite. ¡°But I¡¯d be willing to bet that in 20 years¡¯ time the album will not be remembered as strictly an artifact of the year 2017. The timelessness of the themes will continue to unfold.¡±

If its scope sounds overbearing ¡ª and Tillman¡¯s high ideals are divisive ¡ª then his recent London shows were revelatory: a bells and whistles, euphoric trip, with Tillman¡¯s arch swagger front and center.

¡°It¡¯s such a different thing performing the songs, because what they mean is different to when I consider them in an interview, when I¡¯m triangulating the songs against the culture and the critical reception,¡± he says. ¡°They still feel good to sing.¡±

Japanese fans caught their first glimpse of Father John Misty at last year¡¯s Fuji Rock Festival.

¡°I thought it was fantastic. Everyone told me before the show, ¡®Now bear in mind, no one¡¯s going to clap,¡¯¡± he recalls with a laugh. ¡°It was one of the more exuberant responses we¡¯ve had. Or maybe it just felt that way compared to the expectation. I¡¯m looking forward to going back.¡±

Father John Misty plays Umeda Club Quattro in Osaka on Feb. 13 and Tsutaya O-East in Tokyo on Feb. 15 (8 p.m. start; ?7,000 in advance). For more information, visit .