Fruit Bats - The Ruminant Band

It's been four years since the Fruit Bats were considered a relevant band in most indie rock circles. In fact, I assumed they had broken up until I heard that they had a new album coming out this year. Yes, kids, The Fruit Bats are back on the scene with The Ruminant Band, a new collection of eleven songs that pick up right where they left off with 2005's Spelled In Bones. Opener "Primitive Band" sets the tone for the rest of the album, with its carefree guitar strums and singer Eric Johnson's amiable vocals. Coincidentally, Johnson is now performing with The Shins in addition to the Fruit Bats, which is why it isn't too surprising that The Ruminant Band almost sounds like a lost Shins album at times. That's not necessarily a bad thing though, and chances are, you'll be too lost in the catchy hooks and summery melodies on the album to pay attention to that fact anyway. Speaking of which, The Fruit Bats don't deviate too much from their indie-folk habits on this album, only stepping outside of their patented sound on the Beatles-reminiscent track, "Tegucigalpa," and the Spoon-esque, "Feather Bed." While I would encourage the Fruit Bats to write different songs every once in awhile, they're so good at what they do, it's hard to give them flak for not wanting to try something new. I don't know if The Ruminant Band is worth the past four years of silence, but it's definitely an album that will resonate well with fans.

DOWNLOAD: Fruit Bats - The Ruminant Band [Sub Pop]
Recommended Tracks: "The Ruminant Band," "Tegucigalpa," "Being On Our Own," "The Blessed Breeze."