Helplessness Blues
Finally!! The new Fleet Foxes album leaked. Now everyone in the world can chill out and stop drooling and crapping their pants waiting for it. I know I'm relieved and once I heard it leaked I immediately ran home and did nothing. Then the next morning I woke up and downloaded it. I am still a bit confused as to why everyone is praising these guys so much. I remember a couple of years ago when their self titled came out. People kept telling me to check it out and when I did I was a bit disappointed. While these dudes are definitely a bunch of talented indie folksters that worship at the feet of Crosby, Stills and Nash and probably have nudey pics of Simon & Garfunkel. I don't quite see how they are the supposed saviors.
Finally!! The new Fleet Foxes album leaked. Now everyone in the world can chill out and stop drooling and crapping their pants waiting for it. I know I'm relieved and once I heard it leaked I immediately ran home and did nothing. Then the next morning I woke up and downloaded it. I am still a bit confused as to why everyone is praising these guys so much. I remember a couple of years ago when their self titled came out. People kept telling me to check it out and when I did I was a bit disappointed. While these dudes are definitely a bunch of talented indie folksters that worship at the feet of Crosby, Stills and Nash and probably have nudey pics of Simon & Garfunkel. I don't quite see how they are the supposed saviors.
So again I bought into the hype and gave Helplessness Blues a bunch of listens and again I am not completely blown away but, I am impressed. This album has more textures going on than your local Whole Foods market but, the best aspect is that the different instruments and textures don't come all at once. The first track "Montezuma" is essentially just vocals and guitar (am I the only that thinks that Robin Pecknold's voice is really similar to Ben Bridwell's of Band of Horses?) then the next couple of songs throw in a violin here and there or some percussion to drive the songs to their finish. But were the album becomes really interesting is in the middle of the album on track six "Helplessness Blues" the song starts off as more of a traditional folk song then towards the end breaks into this "New Terraine" Mew vibe. But the most entertaining and experimental song is track ten "The Shrine / An Argument" it starts all reverbed and beautiful then slowly builds into your typical driving folk jam then out of nowhere there is this John Coltrane saxophone solo that I totally wasn't expecting. Thats' when I decided that this album wasn't so vanilla.
So I guess all things considered, Fleet Foxes has done what I want every band to do, which progress and while they haven't freakin hopscotched over the moon yet. They are definitely making some strong progress and I'm already drooling and crapping my pants for their next album to come out. Haha!!
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