This is fine.
Over the years I’ve made plenty of posts on this site about Fruit Bats and their Americana sound. Today I’m pleased to share with you a brand new single from Eric Johnson and company entitled “From A Soon-To-Be Ghost Town”. Once again the listener is treated to a unique take on the indie folk/country genre. The driving and rambling sounds make me want to head out on the open road.
Fruit Bats will releaseAbsolute Loser on May 13th via Easy Sound Recordings.
Rating: 
2015, as its seen us so far, appears to be the year of the solo-artist; that member of the band who wasn’t the front man, or woman, striking out on their own to craft exactly their vision under their name, or perhaps just to create music that’s a little different from other projects. Sam Cohen is no exception to this phenomenon: a past member of Apollo Sunshine and the man behind Yellowbirds, he has put those other projects aside for now to focus on Cool It, a laid back psychedelic rock record, which he recorded completely on his own, save for a few guest appearances by other members of Yellowbirds. The mellow tone of the solo debut dominates the sound, but there are moments of sharpness in the mix that snap you from the smoky depths of this trance and into clarity.
The overall sound on Cool It, as I mentioned earlier is a blend between soft rock and psychedelic music, which seemingly is synth driven, but is, in fact, produced from heavily distorted guitars. Opener “Let The Mountain Come To You,” is about the most rambunctious and energized track you’ll hear from Cohen here, though still fairly even and relaxed. On this opening number, the guitars are fuzzed out to the max, growling along while some lighter and winding sounds join the mix. Cohen’s vocals are echoey, wafting in even-tempered and effortlessly. All the buzzing guitars and glazed vocals contribute to a gentle sound on the album, and the whole thing feels coated in a bit of warm glow.
Lyrically, the album mirrors the style of music: a mix between hazy and lucid, stark imagery mixed with colloquial and casual remarks on the mundane, both of which converge in philosophical musings. There are tracks like “The Garden” that describe a day in the life of a musician: “Went to your house on Friday, drank a few beers, we played the gig on Sunday for the past six years.” But then there are tracks like the obviously Hemingway-inspired “A Farewell To Arms,” on which Cohen appears to assume the role of the protagonist from that 20th century novel, calling after Catherine. It’s clear that there are both erudite and colloquial approaches to the lyrics on the album, which beg to be the center of attention on the album.
Cool It is easy listening, the kind of record that you spin on your day off and begs you to do little else but simply fade into it. The problem, or perhaps some would hear this as a solution, is that sometimes it’s a little too easy; the music is pleasurable but not challenging, allowing you to zone out entirely and lose focus on the songs. Whether you see this as a positive or negative is up to you.
Eric D Johnson asks you not to expect the traditional happy songs he’s penned with Fruit Bats. He promises that this set of songs for his EDJ project will be a little bit more reflective, a little bit more solemn. You can grab those emotions from this latest track, as the pace is quite calm, and he seems extremely careful with the way he delivers his vocal parts. Of course, even with a somewhat darker subject matter, there’s still that underlying pleasantry that you’ve come to associate with his work. You’ll get a chance to hear what he’s been up to when Easy Sound releases his self-titled work on August 5th.
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We loved the work of Fruit Bats, so it only makes sense that we’re following closely the path of the band’s Eric D. Johnson. Press release says that he acknowledges that these are not the happy songs that most people might associate with his writing, but I still find that there’s a brightness to what he’s creating. I love the way his voice rises up, meeting the notes he’s crafted at each turn; it’s one of the staples of his songs that we’ve adored for some time. He’ll release a new album under the EDJ moniker on Easy Sound on August 5th.
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When I hit up RSD last weekend, one of the scores that made me happy was the split 7″ featuring a new tune from The Donkeys. Not a few days later they’ve got a new musical offering to get you excited for their forthcoming album, Ride the Black Wave. This is one of those deliciously solemn tunes, best listened to while you’re hanging out in your own space, physically or mentally. I appreciate the fact that it’s also a breezy number, finishing up in under 2 minutes; there’s still careful string arrangements and slide-guitar, so it shows you that you’re not always forced to jam on. Grab their album on June 3rd via Easy Sound.
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You’re probably wondering why I’m so eager to post about all the music of Rodrigo Amarante; I can’t seem to post enough of his new music. For me, the reason is that listening to his record, Cavalo, has been something of a personal revelation. There are some ornate songs within the record, while others offer little bits of tropicalia. Each song has these little nuances that are intoxicating, such as the horn blasts and piano touches add on the song below. It’s one of those albums where you just get lost in the fold, happily. The LP is out on May 6 via Easy Sound.
I’m feeling sort of lie today’s going to be one of those days where I’ll end up sitting in my backyard with some whiskey and letting great jams take me into the weekend. I’m positive that as I set up a playlist for the night, this new track from the Donkeys is going to make that list. It’s a relaxed tune for sure, but I love the way the guitars have this soulful meandering that matches perfectly with the calming vocal delivery. The Cali group is readying a new LP, Ride the Black Wave, which will be followed up by an extensive US tour in the summer. You’ll be able to give it a listen via Easy Sound on June 3rd.
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Jason Quever is one of those artists that I personally feel needs to write more; it’s not because I don’t appreciate what he’s done, but rather that I adore it so much that I swoon every time I hear of new music he’s putting out as Papercuts. It’s been just over three years since we’ve heard from Jason, but we can forgive that as I know he’s had his hand in producing several great albums. Be it the way he’s written his lyrics on albums like Fading Parade or Can’t Go Back (my favorite), or the construction of the songs themselves, there’s nothing to ignore. His new record is titled Life Among the Savages; it will have a release date of May 6th via Easy Sound. I mean, just listen to this song.
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