3 out of 5

Label: Sub Pop

Produced by: Graeme Gibson

Starting as part of the Perishable Records stable, Fruit Bats – Eric D. Johnson – had a downbeat, homespun vibe akin to their labelmates.  The group still had their standout elements, as it leaned less on electronics or drone and allowed in some drizzlings of pop, but it was still a rather downbeat affair, and the lyrics generally matched the cloudy day vibe of the whole thing (or seemed to, within the context of the music).  From album to album, EDJ let in a little more sunshine, and the songs became closer to the folk-tinged pop one can suspect Johnson was always hoping to let loose, but perhaps didn’t have the confidence to make it his “own” sound.

The Ruminant Band is the full crossover.  The album art is brighter; almost every song is backed by a smile instead of a half-smile.  The lyrics definitely dip into contemplative moments, but much more accessibly so, in a bit of a “it’ll be alright” format versus a previous cynicism.  So your mileage with this may vary.  While the unleashed positivity makes the full-on folk pop rightfully infectious, it also empties it of weight a little bit.  When I think of ‘Ruminant Band’ its almost always a tune, as opposed to a section of a song – meaning the sound sticks, but maybe not the content.  And the quieter songs are maybe just a tad too sentimental cheese for me, emotions that are better left for other Sub Pop popsters like The Shins, with whom EDJ began to get involved.

A logical step in FBs path, and one that produced some absolutely worthwhile tunes, but not the most notable album overall.