Fruit Bats – The Balcony : Listen

Eric D. Johnson, aka Fruit Bats, has shared the second single and the absolutely delightful accompanying video from upcoming album The Pet Parade. Johnson says the video, co-directed by wife Annie Beedy, was “inspired by Cabaret (the film version) mixed with the Star Wars cantina scene and a dash of The Mighty Boosh, with a storyline inspired by Dirty Dancing and Steve McQueen’s ‘Lovers Rock.’”

“The Balcony” follows the album’s debut single, “Holy Rose“, and proves that Johnson’s albums consecutive albums continue to top one another. The lyrics give hope to those of us waiting out grey, sequestered, winter days. Fruit Bats consistently delivers the kind of feel-good music I usually hoard for blue sky days, but this March release date is a gift meant to keep you warm inside and out.

Johnson is also one of the very best live performers in the game right now- let’s hope he keeps this look for tour, when the time comes.

My wife Annie is one of my favorite visual artists. We’ve collaborated on many album covers over the years, but this our first video. “The Balcony” is a song about patience in isolation, waiting for the world to change while staring out at an empty street. So, in Annie’s words, “We created an alternate world—in our basement—where crowded clubs, real live crushes, and chance encounters still exist.

Pre-order The Pet Parade, out on Merge Records on 3/5, here.