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: #28 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

Restores my faith in harmony vocals
My music tastes usually have to include talented musical playing ability i.e.Porcupine Tree, Keith Jarrett, Jimi Hendrix, Weather Report etc so it unusual for me to rave about an album based on singing and harmony vocals but the Fleet Foxes have given me an album that I have not enjoyed so much for years. I dont do a bundle on singers apart from Jeff Buckley,Thom Yorke, early Neil Young and Lowell George but the phrasing of the vocals on these delightful songs really hit the spot. Could be too mellow for some but on further and repeated listening it is ever so rewarding. Im raving to my friends(those with musical taste) so much about the Fleet Foxes that I feel the need to write my first ever review. Buy this album now.

Mountain Magic
I came to "Fleet Foxes" following a chance hearing at a second hand book and record store. Taking the plunge into unknown territory proved wonderfully rewarding, as this must easily be one of the finest albums of the past few years. Some, it appears, are aware of what is going on here in terms of derivation, but for me (and I daresay for many others) Fleet Foxes offer a fresh sound quite unlike anything else currently on the scene. The album conjures the vast sweeping imagery of a wild North American landscape filled with blue skies, snowy mountains, soaring eagles, lush greenery and fast flowing rivers - think "Jeremiah Johnson" meets tambourine-shaking man-choir backed by a battalion of acoustic guitars.
The multi-layered vocals and dreamy reverb-drenched sound perfectly compliment a fine set of songs that sport consistently winning tunes. "White Winter Hymnal" is a kind of modern nursery rhyme; "Ragged Wood" is a foot-stomping torch song in two movements; "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song" is a haunting, if lyrically obscure, lament of great beauty, and is followed by the upbeat melodic toe-tapper "Quiet Houses", which itself gives onto the suberbly poppy "He Doesn't Know Why". Other highlights include the striking lullaby "Meadowlarks" and the sophisticated "Blue Ridge Mountains", which sees the band firing on all cylinders.
"Fleet Foxes" is the kind of record one discovers for oneself, and it really doesn't matter if anyone else gets the hang of it. Lie back and enjoy.

Magical and addictive
Like many other British reviewers, I suspect, I stumbled on this 'alternative folk' album by accident when listening to the audio channel on a longhaul BA flight. It was twinned with a Dennis Wilson (ex-Beach Boy) album which was a mistake as their sounds were so familiar (West Coast hippy harmonies) that initially I could not tell when one album finished and the other started. Note that Amazon claim that lots of customers are buying both albums together! But as I listened to the channel over and over again (it was a long flight) the Fleet Foxes half began to stand out and indeed to imprint itself on my subconscious. I bought the album as soon as I got back and have barely stopped listening since. It is a magical and addictive album that combines the pastoral (meadowlarks, tall grasses etc) with the ethereal (the other-worldly arrangements and soaring harmonies) and the sombre ("Staggering through premonitions of my death").

Some reviewers have criticised the first track (Sun It Rises) as out of character with the rest but I think this is one of those rare albums when there is not one weak track. In fact, I cannot pick a favourite as they are all, in their own way, haunting and beautiful. Other reviewers have been been unimpressed by the tuning, arguing that in places the harmonies go awry. I have a good ear for these things and do not believe that one note is out of place on the album (but live might be different - see below). Yes, there is a rawness in the singing (especially Robin Pecknold's solo singing on "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song" which, if pressed, I would probably offer as my favourite track), but this is part of the Fleet Foxes' rustic hippy charm.

I note that Fleet Foxes are touring the UK later this autumn and that the London dates are already sold out. There are still some tickets for gigs in the provinces, so get these while you can (I have). But I hope their live performances do not disappoint; the live performances which you can find on Youtube look quite weak and vocally strained.

No album is perfect of course and my two minor criticisms of this album are (a) the diction is poor in places (I defy anyone to listen to 'Quiet Houses' and interpret the second chorus line as 'Don't give in' - it sound to me like 'darkie man'!) and (b) no lyrics are supplied with the CD. But these are minor quibbles. This is a brilliant album.