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 above image 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 …

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 …

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 …