Thoughtfully compiled by Eric D. Johnson himself, this Fruit Bats double-vinyl retrospective 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 his 2001 debut Echolocation.

If the first disc of this set is “the collection that you buy for your friend that’s Fruit Bats–curious,” according to Johnson, the second disc is for longtime fans that want a deeper dive into Fruit Bats lore. To put this half of Sometimes a Cloud Is Just a Cloud together, Johnson dug into several hard drives’ worth of material. Included here are lovely early versions of “Rainbow Sign” and “The Old Black Hole,” recorded to a Tascam 4-track just as Fruit Bats was becoming a reality. There’s also a rambling take on the Steve Miller Band’s classic rock mainstay “The Joker,” and some wonderful never-before-heard original tunes. Two of the most exciting tracks are “WACS” and “When the Stars Are Out,” both recorded during the sessions for 2011’s The Tripper. The former is a standout for an appearance by Dinosaur Jr.’s J Mascis who applies a perfect psych-soul solo to the mix. The latter features another special guest, the late, great Richard Swift on piano.

2-LP is pink & violet vinyl pressed to Side A / Side B effect in a gatefold jacket + insert.

Pressing limited to 3,300 LPs for the world.

Release Date: January 28, 2022
Record Label: Merge Records
Format + Color: 12" Vinyl

Tracklist:
Rips Me Up    
The Bottom Of It    
Cazadera    
Humbug Mountain Song    
Absolute Loser    
The Rock Doc    
You're Too Weird    
Flamingo    
Born In The '70s (Live In Portland)    
When U Love Somebody (Live At Spacebomb)    
Glass in Your Feet    
Without Any Airs    
Barely Living Room (Demo)    
Baby Bluebird (Waltz Demo)    
Hot Dogs    
WACS    
When The Stars Are Out    
Aces    
The Joker    
Feather Bed (Demo)    
Goodnight Sun & Hello Moon    
Rainbow Sign (4-Track Demo)    
The Old Black Hole (4-Track Demo)

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