Fruit Bats - The Ruminant Band (LP, Sub Pop)

After a hiatus of four years during which he became a member of the Shins and Vetiver, Eric D. Johnson returns to the Fruit Bats to give us another offering of Americana and sun-soaked folk. This time, it appears that he's going to stay for good, as he says in his blog: "After three years or so, Fruit Bats are back in the saddle. I spent the last couple of years playing in The Shins (a fine day job if there ever was one), but I’m back in full force with the first love of my musical life. Songs have been written. Recording dates have been written in permanent ink. To prove that I’m serious about this, Fruit Bats will be touring the west coast of the United States of America. How ‘bout it? Other parts of the country, as well as other nations, will be visited later in the year."

Since the initial inception of the Fruit Bats in 1999, they've seen a rotation of nearly 25 members, believe it or not. In keeping with that theme, The Ruminant Band features yet another cast of characters, of whom few have worked with the Fruit Bats before. Nonetheless, this is a thoroughly collaborative release.

The Fruits Bats stay close to their 70's-inspired roots. It's hard not to hear Neil Young in the guitar on "Primitive Man" and "Feather Bed", or Fleetwood Mac in the opening riff on the title track. Heck, they even reference Three Dog Night in the plaintive "Singing Joy to the World". Not to forget the Rolling Stones-inspired chorus on "Tegucigalpa". A bit of the Allman Brothers Band sprinkled all over completes the package.

The Fruit Bats exemplify a band that is content to create easygoing songs with unashamed nods to the past, allowing you to get lost in eerily soothing indie-folk tunes that will leave you wondering what decade it is.

The Fruit Bats are around to stay for a while, but it's nice to know that Eric Johnson has Other Career Options , just in case this doesn't work out. Somehow, I don't see him as a Swashbuckling Ichthyologist, so lets hope it doesn't come to that.

The Eels - Hombre Lobo: Twelve Songs of Desire (LP, Cobraside)

Eels albums generally tend to be built around a thematic concept, and their new record Hombre Lobo is no different. It tells the story of a misunderstood outsider, who is the grownup version of Dog Faced Boy from 2001's Souljacker.

Longtime Eels fans will notice many similarities between the character of Hombre Lobo and E (the front man and only permanent member of the band). They’re both peculiar individuals who enjoy being a step removed from conventional society, although they still want to find their place in the wider world.

Musically, Hombre Lobo draws from the styles of several previous Eels albums. However, it’s E’s lyrics that are the true, bitter joy of this record, sacrificing nothing of their wit in pursuit of heartbreaking, heartbroken directness: "Every day I wake up and wonder why", he sings, opening "All the Beautiful Things", "I’m alone when I know I’m a lovely guy."

While many of the album’s songs are impeccably crafted, only a few of them break new ground. That makes Hombre Lobo more of a satisfying addition to the Eels catalogue, rather than a bold step forward. The album will satisfy Eels fans because of its trademark empathetic vocals and overall wistful tone, but is unlikely to win a lot of new converts.

Ben Sollee - Learning to Bend (LP, Sonablast!)

I picked up this album based on the recommendation of my friendly record store guy, and was instantly pleased. I've never heard him before, although the 24-year old has been around awhile - touring with bluesman Otis Taylor and later a part of The Sparrow Quartet. Learning to Bend is his first solo effort.

Ben Sollee is another in a long line of wandering folksingers. However, instead of a guitar slung over his shoulder, he has a cello. The liner notes for the album state, "It was the cat-poles around the lake at his grandfather's farm that inspired Ben Sollee's debut album Learning To Bend. The frailty of those awkward looking plants standing stoutly against winds that challenged even the strongest of nearby trees is an affecting metaphor for human struggle and perseverance." Ben plays heavyweight as he pens songs about the current political climate, as well as delving into more personal stories along the way. Learning To Bend is filled with songs weighed down with one overwhelming theme - that bending under the heavy weight of something is harder to do at first, but it is the only way to survive.

Despite the heavy theme, the tracks on this album are all personal and friendly. Ben Sollee effortlessly flits from style to style, from retro R&B to folk and old-time fiddle music. The highlight of the album has to be Sollee's rewrite of the Sam Cooke classic, "A Change is Gonna Come".

Sollee was classically trained on the cello, but its apparent that he's interested in taking the instrument in new directions. His first solo effort is a giant step towards that. The album is available on 180 gram white vinyl.