Indie folk band Fleet Foxes originated in Seattle, Washington in 2006 and I’m disappointed I jumped on the bandwagon so late. My love began once upon a time when it was still cool to buy Target’s “Artists On The Verge” CDs. I’ll be honest. I judge albums by their covers and thank goodness Fleet Foxes’ self-titled had a cool one. (Didn’t hurt that it was on sale either.) I picked that sucker up without even knowing who or what I was getting myself into. Upon hearing everyone’s favorite song of 2008, “White Winter Hymnal,” I was entranced. With goosebump-inducing harmonies and covers all over YouTube, it’s a hard one to miss.
Their newest effort Helplessness Blues is every bit a masterpiece and definitely beats the dreaded sophomore slump. And there was a lot of pressure riding on this album; it’s been close to three years since their debut flung them into sold-out venues. I have no doubt this album will throw them right back up to the top once again.
The second album: you want to keep your sound, but you don’t want to create the same album over again. Fleet Foxes made it work perfectly. There are still heavenly harmonies and the basic instrumentation is very much the same. But they’ve certainly branched out, adding some saxophone at the end of “The Shrine/An Argument” and soft, ethereal flutes throughout “Grown Ocean.” I try to shy away from comparing one band to another; each and every one of us is biased with personal preferences and back stories. So I hope when I say that I hear nods to Grizzly Bear and Sufjan Stevens, Fleet Foxes and other music lovers will take it as the absolute highest of compliments. There’s a happy, dreamy quality to this album and frankly I’m obsessed with it.
Stand out favorites include the instrumental “The Cascades,” “Grown Ocean” because of it’s atmospheric quality and the personal thoughts of Grizzly Bear that arise in my head, and “The Plains/Bitter Dancer.” You would be a fool to not give this album a listen; it’s a great group of songs and I can’t wait to hear it played live. Check out Fleet Foxes lengthy Spring/Summer tour dates here and act fast! Both US and UK shows are selling out quickly.
Track Listing:
1 Battery Kinzie
2 Bedouin Dress
3 Blue Spotted Tail
4 The Cascades
5 Grown Ocean
6 Helplessness Blues
7 Lorelai
8 Montezuma
9 The Plains/Bitter Dancer
10 The Shrine/An Argument
11 Sim Sala Bim
12 Someone You’d Admire
