Josh Tillman - The History Of Caves

sterlingjuris

Review by Sterling Juris

Album Review: The History of Caves by Josh Tillman (2013) Josh Tillman’s The History of Caves is one of those albums that sneaks up on you. Released in 2013 under Sub Pop, it’s not your typical rock or pop/rock record—it’s a genre-bending curiosity blending stage/screen scores, folk rock, and indie vibes. If you’re into soundtracks that feel cinematic but still raw, this might just be your thing. Tillman wears multiple hats here—composer, writer, performer—and the result feels deeply personal yet oddly universal. It’s like he’s scoring a movie only he can see, but somehow, you get pulled into his world anyway. Tracks like “Dial Tone” and “Finish Those Cigarettes & Go To Bed” stand out because they don’t try too hard to impress. They just exist, fully formed, waiting for you to stumble across them. “Dial Tone” hits with an eerie simplicity—a slow piano line played by Keefus Green sets the mood while subtle layers build around it. You wouldn’t call it catchy, exactly, but there’s something haunting about how sparse it feels. It sticks with you long after the track ends, like a half-remembered dream. On the flip side, “Finish Those Cigarettes & Go To Bed” leans more into indie rock territory, pairing sharp lyrics with a driving rhythm. It’s messy in all the right ways, capturing that restless energy we’ve all felt when trying to shut off our brains at night. What makes this album work isn’t perfection—it’s personality. From Lauren Ward’s evocative photography to Alia Penner’s typography and Emma Tillman’s direction, every piece of this project feels intentional without being overdone. Even the credits tell a story; engineer Bryce Gonzales doubles as mixer, giving the whole thing a cohesive sonic fingerprint. If I’m being honest, listening through The History of Caves feels less like reviewing an album and more like flipping through someone’s journal. There are moments where it drags, sure, but even those lulls add texture. And honestly? That’s kind of refreshing. In a world full of polished playlists designed to maximize streams, this record dares to breathe. Final thought: I never expected to finish writing this review thinking about trees. But hey, thanks to “I Call It The Demon Tree,” now I am. Maybe that’s the point.

Table of Contents

Download

Filename: josh-tillman-the-history-of-caves.zip
  • MP3 size: 103.5 mb
  • FLAC size: 633 mb

Tracks

TrackDurationPreview
Dial Tone1:23
Tender Is the Night in Paperback1:26
Titles Theme For Boy Voices1:34
News of the World0:59
Dial Tone 21:9
Finish Those Cigarettes & Go To Bed
I Call It the Demon Tree1:4
Car Chase Theme1:21
Finish Those Cigarettes & Go To Bed2:44
News Of The World
Of Course I Live With Them2:0
I Call It The Demon Tree
Finish Those Cigarettes 02:44
Alternate Title Score 7770:43
Tender Is The Night In Paperback

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Catalog Numbers

SP 1067

Labels

Sub Pop

Listen online

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  • ouvir online
  • lyssna på nätet
  • lytte på nettet
  • écouter en ligne
  • ascolta in linea
  • online anhören

Formats

  • Vinyl
  • LP
  • Album
  • Limited Edition
  • Clear

Companies

RoleCompany
Copyright (c)Sub Pop Records
Phonographic Copyright (p)Sub Pop Records
Engineered AtFive Star Studios
Mixed AtFive Star Studios

Credits

RoleCredit
EngineerBryce Gonzales
Mixed ByBryce Gonzales
Photography ByLauren Ward
PianoKeefus Green
ScoreJosh Tillman
Written-ByJosh Tillman
PerformerJosh Tillman
TypographyAlia Penner
Directed ByEmma Tillman

Notes

  • Original Score to the Short Film "The History of Caves".
  • Limited edition of 2000 on clear vinyl, released on Black Friday Record Store Day.
  • Includes MP3 Download

Barcodes

Barcode: 098787106718

About Josh Tillman

American singer/songwriter originally from Rockville, MD. Tillman began playing drums in a pair of indie rock bands, Saxon Shore and Stately, while attending college in New York City. In his spare time, he began writing material of his own. He joined 's band for a tour, toured with , and then joined in 2008, before leaving the group in 2011 to concentrate on his solo projects. In 2012 he adopted the pseudonym , releasing three albums under this name.

Real Name

    • Joshua Tillman

Name Vars

  • J Tillman
  • J. T.
  • J.Tillman
  • JT
  • Jonathan Tillman
  • Josh
  • Josh Tillman
  • Josh Tilman
  • Joshua Michael Tillman
  • Joshua Tillman
  • Tillman

Aliases

  • Father John Misty
  • Stately English

Interesting fact about Album

Here’s something cool: *The History of Caves*, a 2013 album by Josh Tillman, is way more than just music. It’s like a sonic journey blending rock, folk, and film score vibes. What’s wild is that it feels like a movie in itself, even though it wasn’t tied to any specific film. Josh wrote, performed, and scored the whole thing, while Bryce Gonzales handled engineering and mixing. Fun detail—his sister Emma Tillman directed the project, adding a personal family touch. Tracks like "I Call It The Demon Tree" and "Tender Is The Night In Paperback" sound like chapters in a storybook, giving listeners room to imagine their own cinematic tale.