By F. Daniel Kent
3.75 stars out of 5
The fifth full length album for the Fruit Bats and follow-up to 2009’s The Ruminent Band finds frontman Eric D. Johnson exploring reinvention and moving on. Even as he ruminates on the lyrics he strives also to reinvent the folk-rock sound he has been a strong part of for the last decade. This time out, there is more of a rock edge to the songs that has always been on the low end in earlier albums. Johnson seems to have traded in the lush acoustics and lulling vocals for more complex arrangements and a wider array of vocal styles than just his usual high tenor.
Over all it is a sound that looks good on the Fruit Bats. Central to the album is “Tony, The Tripper” which imagines Johnson on the road alongside a surly indigent named Tony who trips through the world constantly moving on, from one place to the next. With a bit of irony, this song is the one closest to the older Fruit Bats sounds boasting a more sparse arrangement style and a classic delivery that frames Johnson’s vocals perfectly.
“So Long” takes on a vibrant and twangy sort of folk country styling that is immediately charming. From the first stroke of the harp to the final strum of the guitar it’s a track that invites the listener to sing along and tap their foot in time. “Shimmering Fawn” also hearkens to a more simple sound but almost sounds like something out of a lost Beatles session, Johnson’s vocals sounding as clear as they ever have. The biggest highlights of the album are the jaunty and vaguely stalkerish “Dolly” and the sparse and sullen “Banishment Song” where Johnson’s vocals hit a falsetto reminiscent of Jake Shears of the Scissor Sisters.
Eric D. Johnson has spent the better part of the decade as a mainstay of the folk-rock scene and this album is proof of why. Johnson’s singular commitment to making good music over all has produced an album of sublime yet engaging and masterfully written folk-pop that can be enjoyed by a wide variety of music lovers.
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