[Banner Photos by Annie Beedy / Julia Brokaw]
It’s a new year, a new kleptocrat—I mean president—is going to be inaugurated later this month, and so much new music is coming out that my head is spinning like a rewinding “Stairway to Heaven” recording. This absence of familiarity and consistency will be remedied this coming Thursday, January 12th as Fruit Bats and Springtime Carnivore are returning to Seattle at the Tractor Tavern.
Eric D. Johnson has been making music under the moniker Fruit Bats for almost twenty years, dating back to a 1997 formation in Chicago, Illinois. But a five-album catalog and stints with bands like The Shins and Califone doesn’t mean it’s been a smooth ride. After his wife had a miscarriage, Johnson was wracked with grief. He abandoned Fruit Bats and focused on other musical endeavors, including scoring films, producing, and a solo project. He described his individual 2014 release, simply titled EDJ, as an “outpouring of grief,” which also helped him to realize that a name is not just a name, but also carries more weight and meaning. With that, Fruit Bats is back and released a new album, Absolute Loser, in May 2016. If you’re a fan of Kevin Morby or Fleet Foxes, you’ll enjoy the folk-rock sound of Fruit Bats.
Also on the bill is Greta Morgan’s one-woman project, Springtime Carnivore. Her 2014 self-titled debut album was one of my favorites of the year, leading with the catchy track, “Name on a Matchbook.” In the aftermath of a life-altering break-up, Morgan’s sophomore release, Midnight Room, is a glossy, Technicolor dream-pop album floating between nostalgia, insomnia, loneliness, and wistful fantasy. Are you a fan of Neko Case or Jenny Lewis? I’m assuming the answer is yes, so you should checkout Springtime Carnivore.
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This event is now sold out, but if you were lucky enough to get tickets, doors open at 7 p.m., with the show beginning one hour later. I’ll be there at the Tractor Tavern on January 12th.
EMMA PIERCE | An absolute loser in a midnight room | KXSU Music Reporter