Last night, Eric D. Johnson rounded up a lively Fruit Bats band and “dropped by” the Late Night with Seth Meyers show to perform “The Balcony” off his freshly released record The Pet Parade. Watch the performance now, and afterward, head over to Relix where Johnson breaks down each track on the new album.

The fun doesn't stop there: this Thursday at 3pm ET, Johnson will be holding a Fruit Bats AMA on /r/indieheads. 

The Pet Parade is out now on CD and LP in the Merge store. For the red and black swirl Peak Vinyl version, check the new release section at your favorite independent record shop or the Fruit Bats’ webstore.

In case you missed it, watch the lyric video for The Pet Parade's title track, the music video for “The Balcony,” and the visual for “Holy Rose.”

Early praise for The Pet Parade:

8/10 “a deeply humane record, perhaps the most vivid in Johnson’s long career.” —Uncut

“With The Pet Parade, Eric D. Johnson heads into Fruit Bats’ twentieth year with a rolling, easy charm. While his main band has remained at the core of his musical practice, Johnson has spent the past few years expanding creatively, scoring films, touring with The Shins, and joining up with fellow folk explorers Anaïs Mitchell and Josh Kaufman in Bonny Light Horseman. These outings offered new perspectives, which subtly shade the nostalgia and reflection at the heart of the new lp.” —Aquarium Drunkard

★★★★ “a record that continues Johnson’s recent winning streak” —Shindig

“The 11 tracks on The Pet Parade weave a cheerfully melancholic tapestry, complete with themes of ageing, existentialism, isolation, nostalgia, and fate. These are themes that appear throughout Fruit Bats’ discography, but really find purchase on Parade.” —Under the Radar

“Twenty years into Eric D. Johnson’s journey with the Fruit Bats project, his smooth, dreamy melodies still feel so singular and all-encompassing.” —No Depression

“…some of the best music of Eric D. Johnson’s career.” —Brooklyn Vegan

“The Pet Parade exhibits all the honeyed, flowing melodies listeners have come to expect.” —American Songwriter