Ruminant Band, The

Jangly upbeat psychedelic pop. Fruit Bats are a folk-rock band based in Seattle, WA. They were founded by Eric Johnson, a singer-songwriter who is also a member of The Shins. (Similarities between these bands are extremely obvious to spot.) Lyrics are sung in a joyous lilt, and the folksy lyrics bring back memories of a simpler time.

FCC Clean
Picks: 3, 5, 7, 8

1. Very strummy acoustic ballad with emotional vocals. Gradual percussion build-up evokes feelings of nostalgia.
2. Piano chords and jagged electric guitar solos
**3. Slow, mellow lilting song with piano-driven riffs. At the closure of the song there is a brief pause which opens up into a lively improvisational jam.
4. Very slow, and introspective. Gentle acoustic guitar chords and sweet clear vocals.
**5. Very jaunty and upbeat with ragtime piano elements. Gentle xylophone tinkling, and ragged, lo-fi singing. Ends with a group chorus and 20 seconds of random, jumbled Sgt. Pepper’s-esque conversation.
6. Southern-themed piano tinkling and twangy slide guitar. Very catchy chorus. There are occasional intermissions showcasing experimental electric guitar noise-rock.
**7. Frenzied keyboard pounding and steady, relentless drumming. Excellent guitar solo at the song’s end. Great vocals that showcase Eric Johnson’s wide pitch range.
**8. Slow love song with trippy, surrealist lyrics. Great accessible tune with catchy guitar strumming.
9.Plucky guitar intro leads into an uninteresting galloping drumbeat. There are some great vocals and guitar work, but the lack of percussion variation makes this songs sound wary.
10. Upbeat, major piano chords that sound like some sort of Elton John outtake. Other added instruments include occasional organ scales and solos by both acoustic and electric guitars.
11. Rusty lo-fi blues song with lots of character. Haunting background vocals and strange tinkering background noises. Odd, trippy lyrics about a pink flamingo intermixed with cliché life lessons.