After a week away, it was nice to be back in the studio. This week I played several folk-related tunes, a few garage-based ones, and a small handful of indie pop tracks. With the amount of indie-folk I’ve played of late, I’m thinking we’re in store for another dreamy mix and maybe even a garage rock mix in the near future. Read More »Fense’s Radio Show: February 3, 2012
Being that my typical night consists of hitting the sack at around 10pm, and that my new radio show is Friday nights from 10pm to midnight, I figured that my second show would center around the theme of sleep. So I pieced together a playlist of bedroom pop, chill wave, dreamy shoegaze and what I’ve dubbed as psychedelic ambiance.
Read More »Fense’s Radio Show: October 14, 2011 
Look back over the past few Fruit Bats releases and you’ll find a solid handful of greats. “Born In The 70s” and “Earthquake of ’73” off Spelled In Bones. “Seaweed” off Mouthfuls. These were truly great tracks. “Tangie And Ray” off Fruit Bats’ latest LP, Tripper, fits right in. It’s catchy, filled with a folk-pop bounce, and wonderfully crafted. Yet there’s something else… Read More »Fruit Bats: Tangie And Ray (MP3)
The summer of 2003 was a hot one in eastern Washington, and my concrete bunker of an apartment contained the heat like no other. Granted, the image below wasn’t shot by yours truly until 2004, but it sure seemed hot enough to ignite even the least combustible of items. I wrapped up my undergraduate that December, which was cold as Antarctica, and upon that milestone I moved to Seattle. It was a good year for the Northwest; many of my favorite albums came from Seattle labels like Sub Pop and Barsuk. As for the list, I’ve expanded it to 20. Couldn’t help it.
Read More »A Retrospective Top 20: Best Albums Of 2003 
Pop music can often be a downer. As Nick Hornby wrote in the opening of Hi Fidelity: “Was I miserable because I listened to pop music, or did I listen to pop music because I’m miserable. (End paraphrase.) It’s a classic chicken-and-egg question, the inevitable stumper of “Which came first?” But – and there’s always that but – music exists of another sort; music that’s upbeat and lively and enjoyable despite lacking that sad undertone. And Fruit Bats are such a band – their video for the title track off their recent LP, The Ruminant Band, follows suit. Read More »Fruit Bats: The Ruminant Band [Video]
By now, it is pretty much undeniable that a band like Fruit Bats was meant to rule the earth. With their classic rock like anthems that still pull from the more modern indie-pop scene, it is no surprise that Sup Pop has invested so much effort into these splendid musicians. Has said investment paid off? After two successful records, and one listen to their latest album The Ruminant Band, it will be bloody obvious that yes, they made a great decision. This is a band that knows its potential and should rightfully relish in it at a devilish constituency. Read More »Fruit Bats: The Ruminant Band [Album Review]
