New music from Fruit Bats, Kings of Leon and more
Fruit Bats, The Pet Parade (Merge)
Eric Johnson, the songwriter at the center of Fruit Bats, is a true craftsman. His songs layer instruments and meaning yet sound simple, almost effortless. Johnson s tenor holds a certain charm, yet bears just enough of an edge to suggest the artist has known and endured struggle. The Pet Parade follows faithfully on the heels of 2019 s excellent Gold Past Life. These 11 songs break and repair the heart, offering moments of mercy and release. Johnson mostly lives in the world of post-Beatles pop, dressing these songs up just enough with steel guitar or horn parts to give his melodies a proper frame.