Jonathan Wilson may not be a household name, but his impact on the rock scene of the last decade is undeniable. Wilson produced all three Father John Misty albums; he’s logged time behind the boards with Dawes, Conor Oberst and Chris Robinson, and collaborated with Roger Waters, Elvis Costello, Jackson Browne and members of the Grateful Dead. He’s the guy who knows everyone at the party, even if you don’t know him. But it’s time that changed. His latest solo album, Rare Birds, swoops in fully formed, a deep dive into a mesmerizing musical world that fuses classic-rock, ‘80s New Wave, tribal rhythms and gentle folk, placing him squarely among modern should-be peers like The War on Drugs, Sharon Van Etten and, certainly, Father John Misty himself. Rare Birds finds Wilson constantly saying, “Yes, and…” while piling on layers of synthesizers, thick harmonies, string sections, keyboards, drum machines and more. “Loving You” echoes with both enigmatic chanting from ambient composer Laraaji and vocals from Lana Del Rey. It could’ve been a mess, but Wilson’s songwriting shines—the layers support his warm voice and crystal melodies, rather than distract from them. “Hard to Get Over” thumps with the same booming percussion effects as Tom Petty’s “Don’t Come Around Here No More,” a captivating, if unintentional, nod to a likely influence. Rare Birds sounds like Wilson’s love letter to rock-androll: unpredictable, alive and meant for everyone, as long as you’re down to groove. “We’ll be fucking, we’ll be sucking, while the rest of them were posting their lives. These kids will never rock again,” he sings. “Sign of the times.”