Fruit Bats lead singer Eric Johnson has been crafting Americana-influenced pop and perfect love songs for almost a decade, and he's shown no sign of losing his touch.
2009's The Ruminant Band was one of the best albums of last year, and the band's previous releases, like Spelled in Bones (2005) and Mouthfuls (2003), are equally good. And even though Johnson splits his time between a couple of groups (he is also a member of celebrated Seattleites the Shins), you never get the sense that the Fruit Bats are an afterthought. All of their songs are well realized and catchy; if you're not singing along after a short time, you must have a heart of stone.
As a longtime fan, I've seen the Fruit Bats several times, including at the Casbah last year, before the Ruminant Band was released. Every show has been excellent, and I'm looking forward to seeing them again -- now that I know all of the songs on their latest album.
Those who attend the show can probably expect sing-alongs, friendly banter and an overall good vibe that should stick with you for at least a week.
The Fruit Bats will play the Casbah on Tuesday. Get your tickets here; it'll be worth your while.
T. Loper is a writer for the San Diego music blog Owl and Bear.
