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
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
RATHER GOOD HELLO? HI, THIS IS A GOOD ALBUM, THE SONGS ARE GOOD, IT MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD, IT MAKES YOU THINK.
Honest opinion After catching a track on last.fm and locating and putting the album in my amazon wishlist I got around to ordering it for myself, as no one else seems to do it for me :-(
I have given this a good listen a few times and I can honestly say that I think the album is great and the tunes are still going around in my head.
Its not all bad Yep you can reference My Morning Jacket, America.......its just an ok album. I can see how some have engaged this if its their first foray into the world of alt.country/americana/folk its inoffensive. You can put it on and the next thing you know 40 odd minutes have past and you have not been engaged at all. The production is poor, too much reverb and a just a bit lyrically bland. They have potential so if they suffer second album syndrome they will disappear without trace but i do think they can do... more info
Foxes Tick all the Right Boxes It took me one listen to realize this debut is an absolute certified classic - the album has a purity of sound and spirit that makes it totally unique in 2008. In fact if you were looking for a debut album with similar qualities I'd have to go as far back to 1983 when REM released 'Murmur' - but of course Fleet Foxes will have their work cut out living up to the impact that band has had. Although I may feel slightly uncomfortable comparing a fledgling band to an established institution like REM what I... more info
![Fleet Foxes [VINYL]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61ZM-a4LRIL._SL160_.jpg)
