"He always has smokes and he always gives buckets of love"
I’ve been told that I like a certain type of music; quirky, offbeat vocals, jangly guitars and reflective, out-there lyrics. In the two years I’ve been writing for W♥M, I can honestly say I have never been more excited by an album.
If you are looking for a laid back collection of summer tracks then I suggest you look no further than The Ruminant Band by the Fruit Bats. Eric D. Johnson, singer, songwriter, guitarist and pianist, led me on a journey to the heart of the summer. It is only fitting that I write this review with the sun beating on my back as this album radiates a fuzzy warmth and joy. If you are suffering from the recession blues, down on your luck then maybe you have just stumbled upon your cure.
The Fruit Bats began life as a side-project for Eric D. Johnson, and while band members have come and go, he has remained at the heart of the band. This album is very much about the band. While I haven’t yet been able to land an interview with the band for the podcast, you’ll have to settle for a quotation lifted from a recent interview with Reverb magazine:
I hate comparisons but they have a similar vibe to Vetiver and, understandably, The Shins (Eric Johnson is a member of The Shins). In my opinion, two great bands to sound like. What makes the Fruit Bats stand out in my Songbird library is the fact their sound remains, without a doubt, uniquely the Fruit Bats.
Like most modern bands. the Fruit Bats have a website, they have a myspace page, they tweet, they blog and, for the photography geeks, they have some pretty amazing photos (by Annie Beedy).
The tracks to own are ‘The Ruminant Band’, ‘Singing Joy To The World’ and ‘Hobo Girl’.
The album is already available in the USA and is due out in the UK on 24th August 2009. The Fruit Bats have supported Modest Mouse, Iron & Wine and others. There is a chance you may already know them. Before this week, I did not, so I am enjoying my discovery. Their North American tour is listed above. Their UK tour is due to been announced any day now. Guaranteed, if they are in Manchester, I’ll be there.
What do others think? Uncut described the album as 'Delicately constructed an skillfully executed' and Mojo said 'The best love songs are those where the end is nigh. Fruit Bats frontman Eric Johnson evidentially knows this, even his sunniest, most hopeful sounding songs have an implied sense of loss. Lovely though' 4/5.
This isn’t deep philosophical music; it is easy and care-free folk pop and I love it! Enjoy your summer, enjoy the Fruit Bats.
Sincerely,
Ryan
I’ve been told that I like a certain type of music; quirky, offbeat vocals, jangly guitars and reflective, out-there lyrics. In the two years I’ve been writing for W♥M, I can honestly say I have never been more excited by an album.
If you are looking for a laid back collection of summer tracks then I suggest you look no further than The Ruminant Band by the Fruit Bats. Eric D. Johnson, singer, songwriter, guitarist and pianist, led me on a journey to the heart of the summer. It is only fitting that I write this review with the sun beating on my back as this album radiates a fuzzy warmth and joy. If you are suffering from the recession blues, down on your luck then maybe you have just stumbled upon your cure.
The Fruit Bats began life as a side-project for Eric D. Johnson, and while band members have come and go, he has remained at the heart of the band. This album is very much about the band. While I haven’t yet been able to land an interview with the band for the podcast, you’ll have to settle for a quotation lifted from a recent interview with Reverb magazine:
“Previously, when I did those other albums, I think I set rules for myself. This time I didn’t try to go by the book so much… I played very little on this record – I wrote the songs and the vocal arrangements, and played some piano, but for the most part everything else is the band. That trust is something that comes with time… My band is really talented, so I wanted their voices to be heard.”
- Eric Johnson, Reverb Magazine Interview, August 4, 2009.
I hate comparisons but they have a similar vibe to Vetiver and, understandably, The Shins (Eric Johnson is a member of The Shins). In my opinion, two great bands to sound like. What makes the Fruit Bats stand out in my Songbird library is the fact their sound remains, without a doubt, uniquely the Fruit Bats.
Like most modern bands. the Fruit Bats have a website, they have a myspace page, they tweet, they blog and, for the photography geeks, they have some pretty amazing photos (by Annie Beedy).
The tracks to own are ‘The Ruminant Band’, ‘Singing Joy To The World’ and ‘Hobo Girl’.
The album is already available in the USA and is due out in the UK on 24th August 2009. The Fruit Bats have supported Modest Mouse, Iron & Wine and others. There is a chance you may already know them. Before this week, I did not, so I am enjoying my discovery. Their North American tour is listed above. Their UK tour is due to been announced any day now. Guaranteed, if they are in Manchester, I’ll be there.
What do others think? Uncut described the album as 'Delicately constructed an skillfully executed' and Mojo said 'The best love songs are those where the end is nigh. Fruit Bats frontman Eric Johnson evidentially knows this, even his sunniest, most hopeful sounding songs have an implied sense of loss. Lovely though' 4/5.
This isn’t deep philosophical music; it is easy and care-free folk pop and I love it! Enjoy your summer, enjoy the Fruit Bats.
Sincerely,
Ryan
08/09/2009 15:09:42 ♥ ryan (
)
♥ fruitbatsmusic.com ♥ myspace.com/thefruitbats ♥ twitter.com
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