Fruit Bats - Sometimes a Cloud Is Just a Cloud: 2001-2021 (Pink/Violet Vinyl)

MERGE - MRG773LP-DLX

Includes Digital Download

Eric D. Johnson, the creative force behind Fruit Bats, doesn't spend a lot of time looking in the rearview mirror. "Maybe it speaks to some Midwest thing," he says. "Don't be overly reflective or navel-gazing. And as a songwriter, you always want to be looking forward, not backward." But with the 20th anniversary of his first Fruit Bats release (2001's Echolocation) on his mind, it seemed as good a time as any to take stock of his work-and he's doing so in the form of Sometimes a Cloud Is Just a Cloud: Slow Growers, Sleeper Hits and Lost Songs (2001-2021), a two-disc collection that tracks the history of Fruit Bats from its earliest days to right now. Thoughtfully compiled by Johnson himself, this set is split in two distinct halves. Set in reverse chronological order, the first disc cherry-picks from Fruit Bats' official releases, including fan favorites-"Humbug Mountain Song" from 2016's Absolute Loser and "The Bottom of It" from his 2019 Merge debut Gold Past Life-alongside some of Johnson's more personal choices like "Glass in Your Feet" from Echolocation. "I was 25 when I made that record," Johnson remembers. "I was even younger than that when I wrote that song. I think I hadn't yet learned to write from the heart. I was trying to create a sound. It wasn't even so much about the song at that point." To emphasize both his reticence at dwelling on the past and to showcase how far he has grown as a songwriter, the first disc kicks off with a brand-new track, "Rips Me Up." Recorded with Josh Kaufman, who helped produce Fruit Bats' 2021 full-length The Pet Parade, the song is a soulful strutter about, as Johnson says in the liner notes for this set, how love "paralyzes and wounds us."

Side A:
Rips Me Up
The Bottom of It
Cazadera
Humbug Mountain Song
Absolute Loser
The Rock Doc

Side B:
You're Too Weird
Flamingo
Born in the '70s (Live in Portland)
When U Love Somebody (Live at Spacebomb)
Glass in Your Feet

Side C:
Without Any Airs
Barely Living Room (Demo)
Baby Bluebird (Waltz Demo)
Hot Dogs
WACS
When the Stars Are Out
Aces

Side D:
The Joker
Feather Bed (Demo)
Goodnight Sun & Hello Moon
Rainbow Sign (4-Track Demo)
The Old Black Hole (4-Track Demo)

• We are a small independent record store that's been selling new vinyl records in Melbourne, Australia since 2011
• All delivery orders are shipped with Australia Post and include tracking
• Flat rate of $8.95 for shipping, and free shipping for orders over $200!
• Pickup is availble from 461 High St Northcote. This is a free option during checkout
• We go to extreme lengths to make sure our customers are happy
• We use the best mailers available with lots of space for corner protection, and we make sure orders are packed tightly to avoid seam splits
• We ship almost all orders within 1 business day (excluding special or preorder products)
• If there are any issue with an order due to damage, delivery issues or faulty discs we cover all costs associated with replacing and/or returning items
• We're happy to give free expert advice about turntables and hi-fi including setup and playing issues
• If you want to get in touch, email info@thornburyrecords.com. If you would like to talk to us on the phone, send an email requesting a call back