Product Description

Signed to Sub Pop in the US and Bella Union in the UK, Seattle five-piece Fleet Foxes have tremendous support in releasing their self-titled debut LP. Musically, the band derives inspiration from the greats of the 1960s US folk explosion and more traditional pop influences, all of which is treated with a sophistication and modernity specific to Fleet Foxes alone. This debut sees the band tackling chamber pop, somewhat Morricone-influenced soundtrack-esque tracks and gentle folksy psychedelia. Lovers of Akron/Family, Fairport Convention and The Beach Boys will be enthralled.

Track Listing

1. Sun It Rises
2. White Winter Hymnal
3. Ragged Wood
4. Tiger Mountain Peasant Song
5. Quiet Houses
6. He Doesn't Know Why
7. Heard Them Stirring
8. Your Protector
9. Meadowlarks
10. Blue Ridge Mountains
11. Oliver James

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4 in Music
• Released on: 2008-06-16
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
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

Heard Them Stirring....but wasn't especially impressed.
This album ranks in the top 50 albums of 2008 lists of a fair few very well respected music publications. It was also recommended to me by this very site as well as by a colleague who has similar musical tastes to mine.

However, I felt this album was very much overrated. It's ok, it's fine, and I have no problem giving it 3*, while I sit comfortably on the fence, but anything more than that is something I cannot do. I would even go so far as to say I'd listen to this album again if someone played it to me, but it's just something I'd prefer to have on as background noise.

None of the songs stood out to me or really grabbed my attention at all. The album is innocuous, but it's also generic and rather boring. I understand the sorts of directions in which they're trying to go, but they're losing their way a bit.

They try to sound folky, retro, slightly psychedelic, and they manage it, but not to any real effect; it all sounds too try-hard, with the added problem of sounding as if not enough effort has been put into its post production as the sound quality isn't great. Maybe they were trying to go for an indie (as in independent), organic feel to their sound, but it doesn't quite achieve that objective either.

Half baked
Not a bad album, but not a great one. There are a few excellent songs here (White Winter Hymnal, He Doesn't Know Why) but an awful lot of 'filler'. Some songs start off well and then appear to lose their way and finish off as disappointing extended jams (Ragged Wood for example). Solid but unspectacular.

If it's group harmonies you're after, check out the similar but far superior 'The Trials of Van Occupanther' by Midlake.

Derivative - So what?
Yes it has elements of the Beach Boys, CSN&Y and about a thousand others. You could even throw Sigur Ros, Fairport Convention and Steeleye Span in there - but what counts is the stuff pouring into your ears and the emotions and sensations this experience leaves behind. On that basis this debut affected me as much as my first hearing of Beach Boy's "Pet Sounds", Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" REM's "Murmer". This is a singular creation and resonates long after the final track. What more do you want?