The Pet Parade – the eighth release by Fruit Bats – is preceded by 2019’s Gold Past Life and Eric D. Johnson’s excellent side project 2020’s Bonnie Light Horseman release. For latest LP, Johnson enlisted producer and Bonny Light Horseman colleague Josh Kaufman alongside keyboardist Thomas Bartlett (Doveman), violinist Jim Becker (Iron & Wine), and drummers Joe Russo (Kevin Morby, Cass McCombs) and Matt Barrick (Fleet Foxes, The Walkmen). Johnson started out writing a collection of songs solely for a lover but it became clear that everyone could use some compassion and tenderness so he reworked the songs to be more inclusive. The Pet Parade is a mellow, breezy, and bittersweet album that was written before the COVID pandemic but production timing forced the Fruit Bats to record the album mostly in their various home studios. Notable tracks include: the warm opening title track; the reflective number “Cub Pilot”; the up-tempo, wistful “The Balcony”; the blues-tinged “Holy Rose”; the beautiful and humbling “Discovering”; the rhythmic track “On the Avalon Stairs”; the affectionate, swoony song “Here For Now, For You”; and the closer, a stripped-down ballad titled “Complete.” Fruit Bats’ The Pet Parade is a great and comforting listen filled with enough compassion to soothe your soul during these strange times. – Written by JFelton
SIMILAR | The Barr Brothers, Andrew Bird, Bonny Light Horseman, Fleet Foxes, Whitney