The Ruminant Band Takes You Back
Sub Pop Finds Another Winner with Fruit Bats.
Fruit Bats
The Ruminant Band
Released on Aug 04, 2009
The Ruminant Band, the fourth full-length from Eric Johnson and his revolving-door cast of bandmates (and first since Johnson joined up with The Shins in 2007), is a nice summation of the various sounds and influences from bygone days that Fruit Bats have used to make some of the most consistently pleasant records of the 2000s. While previous efforts from Fruit Bats have been most notable due to the styles employed by the group, The Ruminant Band’s true strength is in the quality of its individual songs.
The spaced-out opener “Primitive Man,” featuring a memorably wordless “chorus” of steel guitar, immediately stakes out a place on the album for the band’s psychedelic folk and country cornerstones. Long-gone are the woozy vocal harmonies that defined ex-band member Gillian Lisee’s collaboration on 2003’s Mouthfuls. Still, Johnson’s ear for voices that blend well with his own is ever-present, as on old-timey barroom stomper “Hobo Girl,” wherein Johnson’s voice shifts unexpectedly from a twangy lead to a nearly-indistinguishable background component in a raucous sing-along chorus. “Feather Bed” is among the lyrical standouts of the album, and reiterates Johnson’s apparent love of Elton John and the piano-pop of the 70s that was explored on Fruit Bats’ 2005 effort Spelled in Bones.
More highlights include the title track, an interesting hybrid of southern rock and AM disco-lite with a brief bit of dueling guitar soloing that suggests Johnson has used a significant portion of his four-year hiatus from the band re-acquainting himself with the Allman Brothers (and yes, that is a compliment). Soon after, the New Wave vocal/syncopated guitar intro of “Tegucigalpa” flirts with the 80s, but ultimately surprises by settling back into the easy countrified groove that weaves familiarly in and out of the record.
Ultimately, the album represents a step forward for Johnson and the group, and not necessarily because Fruit Bats have taken a huge leap in either songwriting or sound (they haven’t). Rather, and as the title suggests, it is clear that Johnson has used a longer break than usual to really – and I’m sorry for this – chew on the individual ideas that have gone into the composition of the album. The result is a thoughtful, sonically consistent complete product that contains more instantly memorable moments than any of the band’s prior releases.
Fruit
Bats are like a girlfriend from high school whom you haven’t seen
for a decade but still wonder about. You’ll never forget her name,
and a smile takes over when waves of recognition wash over you at seemingly
random moments. As you get older, though, the specific fades into the
general, and all you have left is the occasional melody, a faint guitar,
a line or two – never quite leaving, but floating just out of reach.
As the final strains of “Flamingo” fade out with Johnson’s assurance
that “everything gonna be just fine,” you’re left wondering whether
this time she might stick around a little longer.
High Point
A thoughtful approach and good songs make The Ruminant Band Fruit Bats’ best yet.
Low Point
The absence of rocking will do little to assuage “easy listening” accusations.
Posted by Miguel Harvey on Aug 11, 2009 @ 6:30 am
