Absolute Loser
Easy Sound Recording
2016
Rating: 7.5 fresh fish bets out of 10
It seems like bands don't really go away anymore, at least not like they did in my youth. Not that I have a problem with that, mind you, just an observation. Fruit Bats (aka Eric Johnson and whoever he gets to play with him for any particular record or tour) have been making really terrific, occasionally twangy, seventies-style soft rock since the early 2000s. They would sort of disappear and reappear from time to time (or so it seemed), depending on if there was a new record to promote or not. There was even an actual "break-up" of the band announced on the usual music websites a couple of years ago...and though it's not clear to me how (what is essentially) a one man band breaks up, apparently he patched things up with himself because here we have a new record, "Absolute Loser."
All of that nonsense aside, this is a great "return" by the Bats. Things kick off with the best track on the release, "From a Soon-to-Be Ghost Town," and never really let up. Well, I guess they must let up at least a little bit if the first song is the best, otherwise they would all the best or better, and that makes even less sense than most things I write. "Baby Bluebird" is also excellent, and there's honestly not a dud in the bunch. That's typically true of everything Fruit Bats have released - I can't think of a bad song they've ever recorded.
A few years from now when Fruit Bats release yet another excellent record, it's entirely possible I'll write this same stupid review again. Next time it might include even more run-on sentences and grammatical errors!
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