I have a confession: The Fruit Bats are one of my very favorite bands, and each year they go without releasing a new album, I grow more depressed. We are at three years now, and let’s just say that a fourth year would make life unbearable. Eric Johnson, the main fruit bat, became a member of The Shins a few years ago, and I thought they were going to kidnap him for good. Well, it turns out that Johnson longs for The Fruit Bats just as much as me, maybe even more, and has decided to come back and release an album next year! He says in his first post on his brand new blog:

After three years or so, Fruit Bats are back in the saddle. I spent the last couple of years playing in The Shins (a fine day job if there ever was one), but I’m back in full force with the first love of my musical life. Songs have been written. Recording dates have been written in permanent ink. To prove that I’m serious about this, Fruit Bats will be touring the west coast of the United States of America. How ’bout it? Other parts of the country, as well as other nations, will be visited later in the year.

The Fruit Bats don’t have nearly the recognition they deserve. Johnson is incredibly talented, and whether he is making catchy, upbeat melodies (“When U Love Somebody”), folk tunes (“Rainbow Sign”), or compositions, he blows it out of the water nearly every single time. I really hope someone asks him to score a movie some day–just take a listen to “Track Rabbits” below.

In 1999, Eric Johnson formed The Fruit Bats in Chicago. There has been a rotation of over 25 different band members, believe it or not, but currently members backing Johnson include Graeme Gibson, Chris Sherman, and Sam Wagster. They are signed to Sub Pop and are now based out of Seattle. I had to go back into the archives to find this, but a few years ago Johnson wrote a funny post entitled, “My Other Career Options If This Whole Music Thing Doesn’t Eventually Pan Out.”

Mouthfuls (2003):

Fruit Bats – Rainbow Sign

Fruit Bats – When U Love Somebody

Fruit Bats – Track Rabbits

Spelled In Bones (2005):

Fruit Bats – Lives Of Crime

Fruit Bats – The Wind That Blew My Heart Away

Echolocation (2001):

Fruit Bats- Glass In Your Feet

Fruit Bats – Coal Age

Site | Myspace

Tour dates:

Jan 27 2009 JOHN HENRY’S EUGENE, Oregon
Jan 29 2009 LUIGI’S FUN GARDEN SACRAMENTO, California
Jan 30 2009 BOTTOM OF THE HILL SAN FRANCISCO, California
Jan 31 2009 CELLAR DOOR VISALIA, California
Feb 2 2009 THE CASBAH SAN DIEGO, California
Feb 3 2009 THE ECHO LOS ANGELES, California
Feb 5 2009 THE IKE BOX SALEM, Oregon
Feb 6 2009 MISSION THEATER PORTLAND, Oregon
Feb 7 2009 THE VERA PROJECT SEATTLE, Washington

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