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| Fleet Foxes | 
 enlarge | Artist: Fleet Foxes
Label: Bella Union
Category: Music
List Price: £11.99
Buy New: £5.98
You Save: £6.01 (50%)
New (24) from £5.98
Avg. Customer Rating:  49 reviews
Sales Rank: 32
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
EAN: 5033197507620
ASIN: B00180OTAI
Release Date: June 16, 2008
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours
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| Tracks:
| • | Sun It Rises | | • | White Winter Hymnal | | • | Ragged Wood | | • | Tiger Mountain Peasant Song | | • | Quiet Houses | | • | He Doesn't Know Why | | • | Heard Them Stirring | | • | Your Protector | | • | Meadowlarks | | • | Blue Ridge Mountains | | • | Oliver James |
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| Editorial Reviews:
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
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| Customer Reviews: Read 44 more reviews...
 Mountain Magic September 23, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
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 September 18, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
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.
My new My Morning Jacket? (7.5/10) September 10, 2008
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
I have been sitting on this review for a couple of months now, at a loss on what to say or how to start. Honestly I think that might be because I don't like this album as much as I wanted to, that it hasn't stirred the same inspiration in me as it has in others. Whether I have been handicapped by the massive hype bestowed upon this record I don't know, but as much as I love the new folk and country renaissance, I find this a little too trad, and slightly portentous in its reconstituted retro moods. I love the harmonies, the romantic poeticism of the lyrics and the organic glow of the record, but I find myself wanting for the more impressionistic musical touches of Bon Iver's `Emma, Forever Ago` or Iron and Wine's `Shepherd Dog`, to cite two favourites of the last two years.
Asides from the singular, joyous `White Winter Hymnal', I feel Fleet Foxes mine a particular territory explored thoroughly in the past by My Morning Jacket, before the Kentucky alt-country stalwarts decided to reinvent themselves in rather unappealing ways. Fleet Foxes's debut echoes a lot of Jim James and co.'s more plaintive, mellower moments, but without the variety that made these moments only one facet of MMJ's sound - not the whole article. Admittedly, those starving for James' heartbreaking balladry (now that he has gone all Prince on us) will find solace in this record, even if it only occasionally reaches the level of MMJ's best.
True, I have not really reviewed this record on its own terms - not properly at all, in fact - but as probably the last blogger on the planet to post a review of this record I don't think I'll change anyone's mind anyway. While there is much to admire about this record and some beautiful songs there is some magic ingredient missing that leaves it a little dry or staid to me. Put simply: there's just not enough here that you can't find on other records.
Cunning Foxes! September 3, 2008
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
This is certainly an interesting album but it will not be to everyone's taste. I recommend that you forget the hype and just listen to it - this is one of those albums that you will either love immediately, or not. I would say that it takes a few listens and is well worth the effort. The vocals (and harmonies) are really lovely and the music is fresh and adventurous. The opening track does the rest of the album no favours; I found it more rewarding to start with track 2 and then listen on, returning to track 1 at the end (I hope that makes sense!). Well worth taking a chance on - each track is a surprise and there are not many albums around these days that deliver that.
 Don't believe the hype August 29, 2008
2 out of 7 found this review helpful
Disappointing, meandering, just doesn't get going or into a groove. Reminds me of a band trying too hard to be different but never hitting the right notes. I tried to like it but it's really very dull and sounds like a demo.
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