Seattle's Fleet Foxes traffic in baroque harmonic pop. They draw influences from the traditions of folk, pop, choral, gospel, sacred harp singing, West Coast music, traditional music from Ireland to Japan, film scores, and their NW peers. The subject matter ranges from the natural world and familial bonds to bygone loves and stone cold graves.
Amazon.co.uk:
It's now twenty years since grunge emerged from then culturally isolated Seattle and Fleet Foxes, the eponymous debut album from the city's latest heroes, demonstrates just how much American independent rock has mutated in that time. The five young members of Fleet Foxes make up a very different sort of rock band, describing their own music as "baroque harmonic pop jams". Even that understates the depths of the quintet's effortless vocal harmonies and gently woozy, folky feel. Of their contemporaries only the enigmatic Midlake and My Morning Jacket at their most fragile come close, but neither could have cooked up the Beach Boys spiritual of "White Winter Hymnal" or its more powerful companion piece "Ragged Wood". In fact Fleet Foxes happily admit to aspiring to an earlier tradition--not just obvious antecedents like the Byrds, the Association, Neil Young and, especially, David Crosby's famously unfocussed solo album If Only I Could Remember My Name but ancient English folk songs and their later American descendents. All were hunted and gathered from the internet--songwriters Robin Pecknold and Skye Skjelset are barely in their twenties. Add a host of unlikely instruments and the results are stunning, the complete antithesis of mainstream stadium indie that has followed Arcade Fire. Still, the cover features a Bruegel painting of peasants that might have graced any Black Sabbath sleeve. In that way at least Fleet Foxes salute a local tradition. -?Steve Jelbert
Average Customer Review:
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Summary: Pleasant and interesting
Date: 2008-11-10 -
Comment: The album by the Fleet Foxes is a very pleasing album with a folk sound. It is wonderful to listen to on a cold winter day on your Ipod while you are sitting by the fire. The group shows great promise and I hope their future endeavors improve upon what they have started here. Definitely worth looking into if you enjoy folk music, or are looking for something different and new.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Summary: Quite Incredible
Date: 2008-11-07 -
Comment: This record really defies description. It's at the same time very baroque, very Indian influenced folk, and very prog-rock, in the vein of softer Yes. Agreed, I do hear "Pet Sounds" era Brian Wilson and later Zombies mixed in -- But this record does a masterful job of not overloading the production with too many influences. And the songs are extremely well constructed and performed.
I bought the 2 LP set that includes the "Sun Giant" EP, which also comes with a code to download the MP3s for both albums.
All and all, a very satisfying addition to my music collection.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Summary: Simply Amazing!
Date: 2008-11-04 -
Comment: I can't believe a group of guys in their early twenties created such a masterpiece from the starting gate. I got this album on the recommendation of a friend whose tastes I respect and can be quite honest in saying it through me for a loop the first couple of listens. It challenged me in ways I hadn't been challenged in a while and took me a bit of time to sink into it. It does and does not sound like many artists I've heard before which is a testament to a band distilling past influences while creating something completely their own.
I live in Seattle and had really been getting tired of the local scene here. All of the bands were beginning to sound like knock off's of Death Cab For Cutie or The Shins. While both are great bands, we didn't need twenty of them. Fleet Foxes have taken this city by storm and it will be interesting to see whether they can gain traction with the rest of the country. Part of me thinks they won't simply because they have a sound so wildly different than what is currently out there right now.
I would list favorite tracks on the album but it really seems pointless to me. The entire album feels seamless with each song complimenting the previous and next. It truly is a record that is best digested whole, in one sitting. Time will tell if they can build on this amazing debut, however, as young and ambitious as they are, I'm willing to bet they can.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Summary: Excellent Album!!! Buy It ASAP
Date: 2008-10-31 -
Comment: If you like Brian Wilson's later stuff (e.g. Pet Sounds, Surf's Up, Smile), Neil Young, The Band, CSNY or any of those legendary folks, than you will LOVE this album. I almost lost my faith in pop/rock and was about to limit my listening entirely to classical and soundtracks/scores until I came upon this album.
Fleet Foxes, Wilco, Ray Lamontagne are the REAL indie musicians that you all should be checking out (well...Wilco is pretty big these days...but you get my drift). Death Cab ain't beans to the Fleet Foxes. Its not often that you get young guys who can sing 4-5 part harmonies, write good lyrics with strong compositions and can do this LIVE without all the vocal processors and BS. Definitely check em out...you won't be disappointed.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Summary: Totally Awesome!!!
Date: 2008-10-27 -
Comment: I first heard their, "White Winter Hymnal" on Fordham University's radio station, WFUV, about a month ago and was hooked ever since. My favorite is, "Your Protector," but the whole CD rox.
