The midwest, particularly the part of the midwest Eric D. Johnson hails from, is a largely flat expanse. Zipping through it on the highway, you’ll see cities and towns rise up in the distance, but blink and you’ll miss other man-made rejoinders to horizontal living dotting the landscape, hill after hill, built from the refuse of the past: landfills. Some of these hills make for great sledding spots, parks, and trails. Others turn organic waste into compost. “The Landfill”, Fruit Bats’ album from Merge Records, is something else entirely: a mountain dominating the landscape of Johnson’s heart.
“The Landfill”, the upcoming album from Fruit Bats, expected June 2026, is one to play on your next roadtrip, while you’re at the beach, or for a solo dance party while cooking dinner. It opens with “The Saddest Part of the Song,” a more energetic opening than one may initially expect from the title of the song.
This introduction to “The Landfill” demonstrates Eric D. Johnson’s combination of the emotionally raw with musical elements of fun and vibrancy. Even in lower moments of the record, singing of lost love and lost opportunities, the rhythm section and delightful tones from the electric guitar and keyboard keep listeners afloat while processing some of the more difficult themes presented by the lyrics. A favourite song from the record, “Fishin’ Vision” belongs on playlists like “Bass Pro Shop Diva,” “Sunlight Through Raindrops,” and “Driving Through the Mountains.”
The title track concludes the project with reflective acceptance. Johnson marries mournfulness and hope in the same breath with “The Landfill,” singing, “This is the end of the movie…what such a sad, sweet story…I always knew you would end up somewhere good.”
releases June 12th, 2026
All lyrics by Eric D. Johnson
The Fat Angel Sings 