Eric D. Johnson, the singer/songwriter responsible for all the singing and songs heard on albums by his band Fruit Bats, refers to his work as “existential make-out music.” It’s a clever quip, true, but damn if it doesn’t perfectly describe the sound of the group’s latest album Gold Past Life. Johnson’s lyrics are ruminative and romantic, struggling with both concerns of the heart and his frustration with a changing political (and actual) climate. And the music is perfect for long nights of the soul and long nights smooching your partner.

by Robert Ham