Fleet Foxes

That anyone likes this rubbish. This album is offensive on so many levels it beggars belief. How does anyone begin to give it 5 stars. Overrated tosh. I'm getting angry writing this, just thinking about what I've listened to, sorry endured. We had a band in the UK years ago, early 80s I think, called The Flying Pickets - they were a steaming bucket of pi*s, and that frankly is what this is. It does nothing for me and leaves me cold.

Just love the gentle sounds and harmonies of this album...Indie at its best. The blend of musical styles in these songs from folk, to pop to a bit of country at times reminds me of another new artist I have found: Arrica Rose in her new album La La Lost.The more you listen to their music, the more you want to listen. This is music that doesn't get old but rather gets in your head and stays there in a good way.Check them both out.

Heard a snippet of this album on WFUV.org - fantastic college radio station. The song White Winter Hymnal immediately caught my ear but I missed the name of the artist and song. Luckily I heard it again the following day and made note of the name. I went to the band's website and heard more. I was astounded! Clearly, openly, and lovingly influenced by 60's pop sounds and harmonies of the Beach Boys, Simon & Garfunkle, John Lennon, and so many more (all thanked in the liner notes), this young band takes those sounds as a foundation and weave their own modern sound into them. As a baby boomer myself who grew up on those 60's artists, I can tell you that this band - and it's lead singer/songwriter Robin Pecknold - are worthy heirs to those familiar icons. Fame cannot be far off for these young guys with so much originality and obvious love of many different syles of music. This album is wonderful, and I've been recommending it to everyone I talk to!

I tried this album on a recommendation from Amazon based on other purchases and it is a winner. This band reminds me of a cross between
Crosby,Stills + Nash, The Grateful Dead and very early Genesis (which is not to say Fleet Foxes don't have an original sound - they do - I am just reminded of those other bands). An excellent album.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Fleet Foxes deliver a sound and lyrics that are complex and completely listenable. Great harmonies along with a musical styling that sets them apart from most of todays music. Just a great, great album.

This CD has some really good tracks and some really boring ones. However, if you are into light listening music, I hear this is the 2008 light listening album to have besides of course Viva La Vida.

This is My favorite Fleet Foxes-White Winter Hymnal is my pick this year for music.The Video is what drew me to purchase the CD.

The first full length album by the Fleet Foxes is a folksy album full of rich vocal harmonies. The band musically reminds one of a stripped down Belle & Sebastian. As mentioned, the vocal interplay on the album is very strong and has been compared to Crosby, Stills & Nash. I wouldn't go that far in comparisons, but they are quite pretty nonetheless. The only complaint is that many of the songs sound the same and kind of run into one another. Other that, the band has a unique sound and I look forward to future offerings from the band.

If you've ever wondered what it would sound like if Jim James of My Morning Jacket were to become the lead singer for The Shins, then look wonder no longer.
Fleet Foxes is a relatively unknown (albeit on the rise) Indie band who not only write beautiful songs, but who also have a love for music in general. As mentioned in the liner notes, they believe music connects us to a deeper human feeling. They understand how music becomes soundtracks to certain moments in our lives, and how listening to just one note from one song of an album can instantly transport you back in vivid detail to that certain place and time.
As for their album, I can easily see it becoming something similar to that. I bought the album after having the song "White Winter Hymnal" crammed into my memory after a zillion plays on the radio station I listen to. I found myself always singing, "I was following the, I was following the..." and I thought if it's that catchy, I might as well by the album. I'm glad I did. It's quite a brilliant album, and one of the best of the year.

Key Track: White Winter Hymnal

Crosby, Stills & Nash, Beach Boys, Simon & Garfunkel, Final Fantasy!?!

This music is Japanese RPG influenced. From someone who rarely listened to the first three bands mentioned above but has played and enjoyed Japanese video games, this is what I heard and it makes sense being the band members are in their 20s.

You can really hear it in the excellent song Blue Ridge Mountains.

I found this on iTunes while browsing My Morning Jacket albums and accidentally pressed "enter" (which played a song sample) instead of pressing "back." Perhaps it's lame of me to admit, but tears welled up in my eyes because I was absolutely overcome. I'd never heard anything like it before, gorgeous, absolutely wonderful songwriting. I bought it immediately and cannot give it any less than five stars. I can NOT believe I'd never heard of them--it's a sin. Truly. Buy this album this minute and prepare to be enlightened like never before!

this is a little miracle of folk era. One misterios cocktail of CSNY and psychedelic blend. An must !!!!!

I heard something on WXPN that stirred me from my coffee and newspaper, but all I caught aside from the almost shape note singing was the name Fleet Foxes. Then someone I've been sharing musical knowledge with put in quite a few good words regarding this and Sun Giants. I eventually got around to picking this up at the local independant music store. I played it through a couple times and threw it on the pile. Then I started hearing it in the distance. A soft baroque chiming in the back of my head. Not the Zombies not Procol Harum nor Left Banke. Oddly rootsy. Sad like the last days of Summer. I ended giving it my full attention and played it over and over with special attention to Hymnal.
It was then I realized that they were the Beach Boys of Winter.

I'm a huge fan of Midlake. Like that band, FF is exploring 70's harmonies, and analog recording techniques and instruments. As some others have said here, the songs sometimes go on a bit longer than they ought to. Many of the tracks have a fine sense of building drama to them, but the band errs by drawing some of the tracks into an unneeded closing quiet section. And it is not great that sometimes the band is singing off-key -- not often but its noticeable and regretable. Still I REALLY admire the band's musical direction and look forward to hearing a lot more from them. Midlake trumps them in virtually every way but that doesnt mean FF isnt making interesting music.

I had a bootleg of this album a month before the official release. (Not to worry, I bought the cd here as soon as it came out) It took this long to write a review because it's not an easy album to fully comprehend in the short term. After the nearly perfect and perhaps more accessible debut ep Sun Giant, this full-length cd was far more difficult to warm up to. But just as in life, where nothing worth doing is ever easy, the brilliance of this album becomes more and more obvious over time.

Comparisons to other bands might seem easy, but ultimately are only useful as a guidepost to a type of sound that might interest you as a listener. So sure, if you like any of the 70's (or 00's) bands with a folk/rock/freak sound you may be open to the Foxes. If Led Zep was your main 70's band, you may want to look elsewhere. The Beach Boys may be one band that could be argued to be a significant influence. (As songwriter and front man Robin Pecknold would probably acknowledge.) Yet they sound NOTHING at all like them. Nothing. But the song structures, the harmonies, the lack of glorious guitar solos (which some wrongly refer to as "chops") might owe more to the Beach Boys than CSN&Y, (who many seem to forget were a super group that could rock out with the best of them when they wanted to).

The most striking thing about the Fleet Foxes, what separates them from most other bands out there today, is not what you have heard. It's not the harmonies. It's not the reverb or the beards or Seattle or the massive buzz surrounding them. It's the most basic of all things when it comes to music. The songwriting.

Pecknold, at 21 or 22, has already composed a collection of classics. At least six or seven of the eleven songs on this album are standards to their fans and will be screamed for and sung along with twenty years from now if we are all lucky enough to be around by then. I kid you not... The other songs are nearly as good, making it the most listenable album to come along not just this year, but probably in many, many years.

If you feel like it, you can read my little battle with Hercules_doh in the comments section of his review. Though I feel even more strongly now about the band and the album than at that time, Meadowlarks still stands out as perhaps the only miss between the first two albums. And it's a very near miss at that. It's actually quite beautiful, but the lyrics at one point become a little too affected to be taken seriously. A minor quibble to be sure.

The best thing for fans of indie music is that this band will never be for everyone. As hot as they are right now, there are already haters out there and ears that are just not open to this kind of sound. As beautiful as the songs are, as sweet as the harmonies are and as absent the screeching guitar solos are: do not be fooled. This is serious music that is just different enough to keep it interesting for a lot of fans but will scare away the massive audiences that would probably end up ruining it.

Eccentric and familiar at the same time; the self titled full length from Seattle's Fleet Foxes is nothing short of spellbinding. Borrowing heavily from olden-folk and country-rock, the album packs a futuristic vintage punch, although it's much more like a subtle kiss on the cheek. Peckhold's voice is always in reverberating reverence to the past, and the band's playing constitutes the very same greatness. The music is full of a mystically optimistic spirit; graceful and invigorating, all finespun into a genius work of art unlike anything else. Easily one of the most original and beautiful albums to come along on a long time.

These guys are the indie darlings of the blogosphere right now, and truth be told, they deserve just about every damn bit of the praise being heaped upon them.

Hailing from the city that birthed Hendrix and Nirvana, it is a stunning accomplishment that Fleet Foxes have crafted a debut that recalls vintage CSNY, sun soaked Beach Boy harmonies, late 60's psychedelic pop, and even Appalachian Folk....and yet they manage to transcend a gratuitious homage to any of them.

If their lyrics, song titles, and 16th century Renaissance cover art are any indication, this is a band that revels in bucolic and pastoral settings, say in a meadow just beyond the Blue Ridge Mountains. Off the 11 tracks on this 40 minute LP, 6 of them have them titles that read more like Wordsworth poetry than what you'd expect from a band on the Sub Pop label.

But no matter. Four part harmonies are flawlessly executed, melodies soar amongst the reverb, and the instrumental performance shimmers in the glow of jangly pop tunes. Neil Young, Jim James, and Brian Wilson are all smiling proudly.

Standout tracks like "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song", "Heard Them Stirring", and "Oliver James" are all fine examples of top notch songcraft. If experience holds any weight here, these guys will be playing circles around other bands by their next release. Hopefully, they'll stick to current instrumentation though, and avoid going the way of the shaum and hurdy-gurdy.

From the sweet tuned Meadowlarks to the soft singing and acoustics of White winter hymnal, Fleet Foxes shows me songs and styles that I haven't enjoyed in a long time. Fleet Foxes is the one of the best albums I have listened to all year. The songs are so relaxing, I just forget about everything and let myself be sucked into the sweet melodies and voices. If you want to take a break from all the other music you have, or just looking for something new to listen to, this is for you.

I heard them first through a college radio station (and I'm 55 years young). Loved the sound, the harmonies and melodies. I play this while driving in rush hour traffic and I'm relaxed, alert and not inclined to "road rage". The words make me think, but don't cause confusion or irritation.
They remind me of CSNY, and also the Beach Boys and Beatles! I can't wait to hear more from this very talented group.

This is a remarkable debut - rich harmonies, strong songs, solid orchestration - just a gem. But if you need a first taste, try their "Sun Giant" EP or listen to teh NPR free live concert.

Most highly recommended. Smart and timeless.

For a band with members as young as 21, it's amazing that they are able to capture and build upon mid sixties pop rock so well. You can hear the influences of The Byrds - The Notorious Byrd Brothers, The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds and unreleased SMiLE sessions, and the Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young catalog. Rather than just copy these artists, Fleet Foxes manages to incorporate some of the best elements of these bands and craft them into something new and refreshing. They have the vocal chops to pull it off too, with some of the best harmonies I've heard in a long time. Standout tracks are "Sun It Rises" and "White Winter Hymnal", but with repeated listenings, the entire release shows a band who is only just beginning to show what they are capable of. Fleet Foxes have a bright future ahead of them, and deserve a long and prosperous career in music. Very impressive and highly recommended.

any band introduced as offering a "sound combining the baroque psychedelic pop of the '60s, sacred harp singing, gospel, and folk music" requires full attention.

especially when they back it up by selecting Pieter the Elder Bruegel's "The Blue Cloak" as the album cover. these guys are arteests.

it was the most fantastic way of discovering Fleet Foxes, too. I spent an unmeasured time in Good Records, in Dallas, TX, floating through the aisles of discs. one of the listening stations highlighted their self-titled LP, and I stopped to soak it in. the last time I remember the awe of discovery so fondly was when I imbibed Iron & Wine's Woman King EP. Fleet Foxes contains a band full of Sam Beams; haunting harmonies, layered and textured instruments, and lyrics laced with mesmerizing narratives ("Tiger Mountain Peasant Song").

one notes the echo of Jim James' vocals throughout the album, but Robin Pecknold's lead quickly billows into much more as his bandmates join the effort ("White Winter Hymnal"). some of the grooves also ring of My Morning Jacket (more Z than Evil Urges), but ultimately Fleet Foxes' depth and range of sound outstrips MMJ. on "He Doesn't Know Why," whispers of the actual band James thread through the measures.

clearly, though, the standout track is "Your Protector." hearing this the first time I thought, "This must be what it was like the first time `The Battle of Evermore' spun on your turntable." yes, I really said that. the track can withstand that comparison. try it.

anticipating your fear that you don't have time to listen to all these tracks, I endeavored to suggest five solid pieces. I found, however, that deciding which tracks would remain was much like deciding which of my ten fingers I would choose to keep, had I the responsibility to sever the others. trust me - just listen to the whole set.

The five-man group Fleet Foxes have a couple of things in common with Nirvana---like Kurt Cobain's legendary rock trio, the Fleet Foxes also hail from Seattle, and they are also signed to Nirvana's old music label, Sup-Pop. But Fleet Foxes are as far-removed as you can get from the "grunge" sound that Nirvana made famous nearly 20 years ago. The music of Fleet Foxes, led by singer/songwriter Robin Pecknold, is beautiful, gorgeous folk/pop, with stunning, heavenly church-choir harmonies. Many great bands come to my mind when I listen to Fleet Foxes---The Moody Blues, Jethro Tull, early Genesis, and Renaissance, with the superb harmonising flair of The Association, the Beach Boys, Crosby Stills & Nash, and the aforementioned Moody Blues, while lead singer Pecknold has a warm, commanding voice that sounds a bit like Chris Martin of Coldplay. This is an outstanding debut album by a band that I hope is going to be around for a long, long time. They're simply amazing! Another clincher for me about just how good the Fleet Foxes truly are is that they never really "rock out" on any of their songs, not even on their more uptempo numbers like "White Winter Hymnal" and "Ragged Wood," which might make some listeners impatient. And yet, it doesn't matter to me at all. Their music is just so hauntingly beautiful and soothing, that I sit there (or lay there) and listen to them totally entranced. Some songs are a little bit better than others, but they're all first-rate, like "Sun It Rises," "Ragged Wood," "Quiet Houses," "He Doesn't Know Why," and my personal fave on the album, the phenomenal "Blue Ridge Mountains." Fleet Foxes also have a terrific 5-song EP available called "Sun Giant" that I also highly recommend purchasing along with this, their self-titled album. I'm an instant Fleet Foxes fan, and I can't wait to hear more music from them and see them live in concert. They are a shining light in today's music world, and I hope that they will be around for many more years to come. Pick up "Fleet Foxes," and know the truth about one of the greatest, most-unique new bands around today.

Don't get me wrong, this is a very good record. The songs and melodies are there. The harmonies are beautiful. But, for some reason, Fleet Foxes just don't stir me. I have a great respect especially considering the ages of the band members and the level of talent. However, this might just be a case where the hype surrounding this band kind of killed it for me before I had my first listen. I dunno... maybe it'll be a grower.

I would probably liken this wonderful debut by Fleet Foxes to Midlake with greater instrumental skills, a better engineering mix and strength in depth, but then most of you probably have not heard of Midlake either (if you like this album, check them out on The Trials of Van Occupanther). So perhaps I have to fall back to a mix between Simon and Garfunkel for the pristine singing, the Byrds and early Jethro Tull for the musicality and the breadth of instrumentation.

Whatever you do, do not expect this album to rock. It is a mix of subtle melodic ballads, such as the lead-off Sun It Rises and the folksy Tiger Mountain Peasant Song and faster more orchestrated songs such as Ragged Wood. It will be interesting whether on their next offering after this impressive debut, the group speeds up or remains etherally slow.

Great harmonies, lots of different instruments, and generally good catchy music is what this cd is about. If you like this album, check out the Sun Giant EP which is also quite good!

If you're an experienced listener who enjoyed the sound of Moody Blues, the Strawbs, Barclay James Harvest, or the Pet Sounds version of the Beach Boys, you will love this album. If you dig the beauty of the Shins or Iron and Wine, you will love this album. It's amazing how music is reinvented to sound so fresh. Congrats to Fleet Foxes on their first CD having the sound of seasoned minstrels.

Fleet Foxes is an indie band from Seattle who grew up listening to the music of the '60's - their parents' music -- and the influence of the 60's on Fleet Foxes is obvious. The Beach Boys' vocal harmonies and complex arrangements stands out (ditto Crosby Stills & Nash), as do folky Simon & Garfunkel guitar licks and Beatles-style melodic lines. The results are uneven: sometimes very well-orchestrated and moving, sometimes predictable and unremarkable. On the whole, the vocals are great, although occasionally the group singing is not in tune. They should take more harmonic chances if they want to make their mark as innovators and get away from the predictability of standard folk or rock music. Additionally, unlike two of their major influences, Paul Simon and Joni Mitchell, for whom poetry and music were equally profound, the lyrics are either hard to understand, unintelligible, or seem to mean nothing in particular. Maybe they're not as interested in lyrics, which is fine, but I still wish the lyrics were easier to understand/hear, since there's no lyric sheet enclosed.

Fleet Foxes gets credit for creating songs that are more than your standard drum beat, yelling (or whining), and loud guitars. They're doing something original, in a more complex vocal and instrumental style than I've heard in awhile, one which incorporates folk, rock, Celtic and country. I'm intrigued by this unusual band and will be interested to see what they come up with as they evolve.

Fleet Foxes seemingly have come out of nowhere. In April, they released an interesting EP "Sun Giants" and a couple of months later they came out with their debut album that surpasses the EP by miles. If you are not familiar with the band's sound, the best way that I can summon it is early My Morning Jacket + Band of Horses = Fleet Foxes, as much as that is a generalization.

"Fleet Foxes" 11 tracks; 39 min.) starts off "Sun It Rises", and the opening sounds of that track (church-like a-cappella singing) actually are somewhat misleading to what will come. Comparisons to early My Morning Jacket are inevitable on tracks like "Ragged Wood" and "Quiet Houses", and that's a compliment. There are several tracks that feature just main songwriter Robin Pecknold's voice and acoustic guitar, just beautiful, such as on "Tiger Mountain Pleasant Song". The album is sequenced perfectly, and it flies by in no time. Other highlights include "He Doesn't Know Why" (reminiscent of Band of Horses), a lush "Your Protector", and the album closer "Oliver James", again just Pecknold and his guitar, just mesmerizing.

In all, this is clearly one of the best albums of the year for me so far. Haven't had a chance yet to see these guys live, but I sure hope I will soon. Finally, if you wonder where I found out about these guys, I heard them on the internet-only station WOXY ("Bam! The Future of Rock and Roll"), the best source for indie-rock in the country, bar none. Meanwhile, "Fleet Foxes" is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

I think Fleet Foxes have been around for a while, but they were new to me. I read a review of their CD in a magazine, comparing their sound to Crosby, Stills, & Nash of the 60's & 70's. This is a very fair comparison, as Fleet Foxes have beautiful harmonies. Something about the music feels very airy and woodsy, which is very hard to explain. The songs make me feel like I am in a medieval castle or forest. "Your Protector" is probably my favorite. Your 17 year old son may not be wild about this (mine is not) but it has a definite siren's call effect for aging or wanna-be hippies who missed their calling. Beautiful!

If you're considering the new Fleet Foxes album, you won't be disappointed. These days I don't love a lot of bands that are out there. I think I find an album or two a year that I really love. Fleet Foxes album and EP though are magnificent. A summer night outside with a glass of wine and this music is magical. "White Winter Hymnal", "Ragged Wood", "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song", "He Doesn't Know Why"... I'm just trying to say the highlights of them album! They're all good tracks.

Anyway, if you're considering the album I recommend getting it on vinyl. You not only get the album on vinyl with a great looking gatefold sleeve, but you ALSO get their Sun Giant EP on vinyl too! Not only that, you also get a certificate to download the mp3's of both the album and the EP!!! Amazing. Thankfully bands like Fleet Foxes and labels like Sub Pop exist.

The vocals and harmonies are like nothing else I have ever listened to. Truly inspiring and something I do not grow weary of.

They may be good musicians, and they may have a certain style, but I love alternative, 80's new wave, 90's grunge, 00's "alternative" (because this music and decade do not have a name)! Fleet Foxes don't do anything for me at all, except make me wanna chew some 'baccy' and drink some "shine". Far too folky and country for this rock 'n' roller! If you love Deathcab and The Smiths (I love them both btw) and are turned off by Tool and Ministry (I love the too, btw), you will probably like this album. I personally like music that has a much sharper, stainless steel edge. This album is slow but happy, and comes across as wimpy, tame, and backward. Thanks for the invitation, however, Amazon, I usually like your recommendations, but this was not one of them.

Oh, have any of you discovered the Dandy Warhols or Placebo? Now, those are awesome alternative bands that never leave my cd player for long.

I listened to some excerpts on their Myspace, and at first wasn't so sure. But this album is really, really good as a complete album. Everyone says it sounds like MMJ, which is true only on the surface of the vocals. The sound and feel to me are closer to Midlake or the Sadies or even Blindmelon, but better than those (and I like them quite a bit). Haunting and folksy, the album moves perfectly from one song to the next and in reality I can't even pick out individual highlights, because I feel like there are no weak points on the album. Great all the way through.

It's hard to describe the sound of Fleet Foxes to those unfamiliar with 1960's folk from the likes of Crosby, Stills & Nash (+/- Young) but try to imagine The Housemartins crossed with the Beach Boys and you will be getting the idea. Their beautiful harmonies are what set this band apart from others around at the moment.

I really looked forward to this album having listened to their brilliant EP Sun Giant but I was a bit disappointed. While I like this album, it lacks the clarity and beautiful simplicity of Sun Giant. For me there is too much going on, I feel I'm in a dense forest of sounds which detracts from the beautiful mind-blowing vocals. Having said all that I would still recommend it to all lovers of good music.

of My Morning Jacket in any of these reviews. That's surprising. And yes, I am starting my review from that angle since the singer is tone for tone a very well formed copy of Jim James. I'm not knocking the singing because of it, but the "originality" tag I keep hearing about this band loses its shine because of the similarity. That and the abundant use of reverb, which is a staple of the MMJ sound.

Yes, this is more folk than country and that is where the MMJ comparison ends. The songs bring me back to growing up in the Appalachian foothills, which is refreshing to hear from a band stationed in the Pacific northwest. The songs are fairly masterful in creating a wonderfully haunting tone, but I believe I've heard this before . . . on an album called "At Dawn." It appears I can't get away from the MMJ comparison and while that may be a flaw in me personally, I still enjoy this album in spite of it, though I'm not inclined to sit my friends down to hear it. Well, except for "White Winter Hymnal" which haunts my dreams.

I really feel it is unfair to not mention MMJ when talking about this album. Perhaps in the future Fleet Foxes can further differentiate themselves from MMJ, but on this album, I hear little more than a folk homage to My Morning Jacket. I'm sorry to harp on the subject, but I can't distance myself from it.

This album/ and group is truly unlike anything else I have heard. Like another reviewer mentioned it feels like you are walking through a field in the morning during the middle ages. While few songs are really catchy, if you take the band as it should be, a different melodic experience you won't regret the purchase.

It doesn't happen all the time, but it happened here. I don't even know what you might call this kind of music, but I like it, the folks that make it like it, so who cares. I was following links from Bon Iver, (which I discovered following links), and discovered Fleet Foxes. I listen to everything, noisy punk, dinosaur rock, mississippi blues, piano trio jazz, and now this.

What a treat and joy to find completely new, fantastic, stuff!

For me, I'm always skeptical about rave reviews, and this album
is getting them across the board. But for once, I'm in total agreement.
There is some definite magic going on with this album (the EP is
it's equal too).

If anyone remembers and digs the late, great band Grant Lee Buffalo
(specifically the Mighty Joe Moon/Fuzzy albums) then get this album
pronto. It's cut from the same rural, pastoral cloth... and has
that similar rustic atmosphere that sucks you in instantly.

I hope these guys don't get burned by the hype, and have a nice long
career ahead of them... I'm looking forward to it!

John

Over the years, music critics, (who by their nature have to push something & are always looking to be at the cutting edge and wanting to discover the next big thing), attach themselves to new music that contains several unique ingredients but when the whole product is stirred and readied for listening, something larger like consistent melodies are missing. Fleet Foxes seems to fall into this jar. There are some wonderful harmonic moments, baroque & otherwise, but as a whole this cd leaves only a mediocre taste, and a desire for something more inspiring and listenable.

amazing melodic/harmonic structures, composition, varied chord progressions, lyrics/vocals...you feel like you're running through a happy, familiar dream of your childhood which inversely creates an old melancholy...

Fleet Foxes received a mention in Rolling Stone, so I thought I'd give them a listen as the description there piqued my interest. The magazine does this funny little equation thing below a picture (i.e. THIS BAND + THIS SINGER + THIS SINGER = REVIEWED BAND). Many times they get it wrong, and this is one of those times. Yes, they include a CSNY comparison in the review, and FF's get high marks for aspiring to that level. But in reality, it should have been the Y of CSNY that the comparison was drawn from, because the lead singer in FF's is basically Neal Young with better vocal chops and the knack for staying on key. I didn't get the Beach Boys comparison in the math equation at all, as these guys are far from the coast musically and much deeper into the forest, but perhaps standing on a cliff edge with the ocean in the distance over a mountain. There are some definite Led Zeppelin influences in their lyrical style, especially the more acoustic Led styles.

My only nitpick on the band is the overuse of heavy reverb on almost ALL vocals and tracks. (Hey guys, try some nice dry eq sometime and see what happens. You might like it!) Thus the missing fifth star.

Nits aside, all in all, a great album, easily worth the low price. Accessible for old rockers (like me) and the younger, indie crowd as well. Put it in the car, it's great for long, rainy drives and nighttime summer road trips!

Fleet Foxes, another in the infinite line of contemporary "animal" bands; what a special record! I'm not really well versed enough to see in it comparisons to Wolf Mother or Wolf Parade or Deerhoof or Deerhunter or Grizzly Bear, Panda Bear or Huggy Bear (ok, so that's a blast from the past).

What I do see in it is a reflection of a more distant tradition. There are compositional references, vocal styles, and arrangement nods to those more "baroque pop" 60's Beach Boys records; the epic scope and the lushness and depth of pop complexities of Clube da Esquina an essential 1970's record by Milton Nasciamento and Lo Borges; yet there's also the spaciousness and intimacy of last year's Bon Iver record, For Emma, Forever Ago. Like those references, the music is absolutely listenable and deeply enjoyable and somehow makes you feel like you're enjoying something quite special.

I love it.

I don't have much to add about what they sound like...the other reviewers took care of that. I'm basically just here to say that I love this band. I think they're amazing. Instant favorites. I'm so happy I found them.