“Knowledge Pagoda” by Fruit Baby Finds the Sweet Spot Between Pop Sophistication and Unvarnished Earnestness

The frayed edges of “Knowledge Pagoda” by Fruit Baby from Bristol, UK suggest some touchstones in the likes of Camper Van Beethoven, 80s jangle-y college rock and, with the edgy violin a bit of the Velvet Underground. The vocals have an unvarnished quality that is masked a bit by expert and emotionally vibrant vocal harmonies and which gives the whole song a freshness and immediacy that catches your ear and doesn’t let go until the end. Not enough modern pop songs command your attention in that way that doesn’t seem to have come out of imitating a popular style. Frankly, the world needs more music that makes an unabashed virtue of what makes the artist unique. Listen to “Knowledge Pagoda” on Spotify, connect with Fruit Baby at the links below and look out for the group’s Huddle EP which released February 12, 2020.