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
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
Product Description
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.
Album Description
2008 album from this Seattle based quintet. Fleet Foxes are, for lack of an imminently more marketable descriptor, a group trafficking in baroque harmonic pop. And the joy they derive in doing so is palpable. We feel it too. They are, self-described, not much of a rock band. With the help of credit cards, minimum wages, tip money, friends and family, Fleet Foxes crafted their first demo, and subsequently the Sun Giant EP and this debut full-length album, with family friend Phil Ek manning the rudder. Drawing influence from the traditions of folk music, pop, choral music and gospel, sacred harp singing, West Coast music, traditional music from Ireland to Japan, film scores, and their NW peers, Fleet Foxes ranges in subject matter from the natural world and familial bonds to bygone loves and stone cold graves.
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Fleet Foxes
- Audio CD: 0 pages (2008-06-03)
- Publisher: Sub Pop
- Label: Sub Pop
- Studio: Sub Pop
- Average Customer Review:
 based on 60 reviews
- Sales Rank in Music: #55
Avg. Customer Review:
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Best Album of 2008 2008-10-07
Comment: The album bring back memories of the 60's and 70's folk rock. This is the perfect album to buy in vinyl. This is a must have.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating:
Summary: "Oliver James washed in the rain no longer." 2008-10-03
Comment: Fleet Foxes' debut full length album is a pleasant, folksy good time. It doesn't really reach the heights that some more intense bands do, but the combination of good acoustic guitar work, alternately catchy and haunting vocal harmonies, and unique song structures make for a record really worth listening too. The hippie-looking Robin Pecknold is probably the band's driving force, writing all the lyrics and taking charge with the vocals, but you get the feeling they just like playing together as a group and working together to create one memorable sound. I had heard that this album was one of the year's best indie releases, and decided to check the video for "White Winter Hymnal" on Youtube. I was a bit surprised by what I was hearing, because it doesn't sound like something from this year at all, but still captivated by it, and I shortly found out that this same thought carried throughout each of the tracks.
From the near prog-like constant shift in pace of "Sun it Rises" to the solitary howling at the end of "Oliver James", every song does something unique while still fitting the band's central feeling. I almost feel like I've heard some of these before, and I'm sure that's partly because it's hard to come up with unique music these days, but that quality of familiarity is part of its appeal to me. It's hard to really describe what makes each song good, because it's never a single hook or element, it's always the sum of the parts. Some favorites are "Ragged Wood", "Quite Houses", "Your Protector", and "Blue Ridge Mountains". It's really one of those albums that has to be listened to as one experience and not a bunch of disparate tracks to throw on your iPod's shuffle. Although "White Winter Hymnal" is still pretty awesome by itself.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Another Pitchfork Brainwash! 2008-10-03
Comment: People, this is an average album by an average band. Yes, the melodies are pretty, yes, the guitars are pretty, yes, they have beards and they're from Seattle. Are you indie monkeys getting the picture here? You've just been sold another retro, throwback album. Why can't we just see these guys for what they really are? A bunch of dudes just playing some songs, no boundaries are being broken, no experimentation is on hand. The fact that people are viewing this as some kind of colossally new form of music shows me how gullible you all are and how willing you are to take whatever the media feeds you. It really isn't folks, maybe you guys have been hittin' those Lysol cans again, cause the fumes are killin' you! Having said all this, it's not an album to mock or put down, it's just not that special, that's all.
Now I'm sure that this review will get all your pantyhose's in a bunch, railing me because I offended your indie sensibilities. Yes, I know, you really don't care what Pitchfork, Metacritic, Popmatters and all the other high-brow web sites say, I'm sure your opinion was formulated entirely on your own! Yes, you are unique & beautiful snowflakes free to judge this music without the influence of the perennial "loser in real-life that now looks down his nose at you because he works at an indie record store/website". Save your breath, go bother someone who actually cares what you think.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating:
Summary: Fantastic!! 2008-10-01
Comment: Outstanding composition, harmonies, and delivery. Do yourself a favor and get on board with this group! And go see them live whenever you can!
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating:
Summary: Fantastic Foxes 2008-09-26
Comment: I am in awe of this album. The band describes their sound as "baroque harmonic pop jams" which is pretty accurate except for the jam part which brings to mind those long, aimless and barely melodic exercises in ego-stroking which clearly this isn't. These are well-constructed and concise folk-pop gems with influences (to my ears) such as the Beach Boys; Crosby,Stills,Nash & Young (with emphasis on Crosby and Young); and Sufjan Stevens while remaining totally original. It's impossible to get a feel for the glorious harmonies, intricate instrumentation and lush melodies by listening to the half-minute samples on this site. They can be off-putting but trust me, the songs are true wonders. They often start off a capella and build into these magnificent aural fountains of joy. I usually list my favorite songs but this CD is so incredibly consistent it would be foolish of me to do so. Intended or not, this work seems to be a song cycle, with each excellent song adding up to an even greater whole. Music this good doesn't come around often so pick it up as soon as you can. Your musical life will be richer for it. The EP "Sun Giant" that precedes this full-length is fairly good but won't prepare you for the artistic leap of this achievement.
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