Helplessness Blues [CD]

The plaintive harmonies and get-back-to-the-country imagery of Fleet Foxes' well-received 2008 self-titled debut Fleet Foxes helped define a musical movement of 21st Century bands in search of lost, 19th Century ideals: Midlake, Blitzen Trapper, Bon Iver. Now the Seattle sextet returns with the far more ambitious "Helplessness Blues" (Sub Pop).

Though the melodies aren't quite as instantly memorable, the album is in many ways superior to its predecessor.
The band's multi-part harmonies function more as a piece of the wide-screen arrangements rather than the dominant feature.
The voice of Robin Pecknold is more out front and lyrically direct; against an intricate web of counterpoint melodies, he plays the troubled narrator wrestling with his place in the world.
Employing everything from woodwinds to Tibetan singing bowls, with finger-picked acoustic guitars sailing atop rumbling timpani, the band makes a wonderful sound: rich but not overstuffed, intricate but not labored, virtuosic without sounding like anyone's showing off. The songs don't stick to verse-chorus formula, they're more like mini-suites that turn and twist without drawing attention to their complexity.

If there's a shortcoming, it's that the band is almost too subtle for its own good; all that beauty and detail is rarely played for dramatic effect.
When Pecknold's pristine voice rises and finally cracks on "The Shrine/An Argument", followed by a free-jazz freak-out, it's the type of musical jolt the rest of the album lacks.

But such outbursts probably wouldn't make sense in fleshing out the album's central theme.
"Could I wash my hands of just looking out for me?" Pecknold sings on "Montezuma".
On the title song, he declares his desire to "be a functioning cog in some great machinery, serving something beyond me".

In striving for more self-less version of self, Pecknold and his excellent band have made an album that embraces modesty. Which is why it may take a few listens for its rarefied combination of beauty and anxiety to hit home.
In this case, another virtue that Pecknold extols -- patience - has its rewards. G. Kot

The Courage Of Others
For Emma Forever Ago
Destroyer of the Void

This is such a fine and beautiful album. I could simply write 'utterly marvellous' or 'recommended' and leave it there, but that wouldn't exactly convey why this is worth parting with one's hard earned spondoolicks! Everything about this album smacks of integrity; there is no doubt that this is the soundtrack to a kind of post-neo-hippy-green-idyll ideology, with a dash of self aware spirituality on top. It could also be said that it is clearly a re-invention of the folk rock genre of the late 1960's with its overt referencing to CSN, Neil Young, Paul Simon, Brian Wilson and others.( On a minor note it is also interesting to hear the tape hiss at points in the recording and to appreciate that the packaging is without plastics ) But this is an excellent piece of work which is audibly full of care and compassion. It isn't afraid to wear its references boldly although this is clearly not folk-rock genre karaoke. Fleet Foxes are the real deal;wonderfully fresh-sounding, genuine artists. Robin Pecknold is, of course the driving force here and his lyrical work is very fine indeed. As ever, the harmony arrangements are superb with Casey Westcott taking some of the honours in that department.There are moments here, on Helplessness Blues, where the neck prickles, as if the marriage of words and music is connecting internally and there is a real sense that these are musicians who are in it for the music, for the truth of that,nothing more, producing an excellent listening experience. The album celebrates, cherishes, challenges and questions the experience of humanity and it is a completely humanistic piece of work. "Montezuma" is a well-considered opener. "Bedouin Dress" livens things up yet it still has the key Fleet Foxes touches of texture and mood within the arrangement. Is it only a matter of time before Crosby and Nash want to guest on a Fleet Foxes album? "Sim Sala Bim" could be a class track by CSN, mostly Crosbyesque and very fine indeed for it."Battery Kinzie" isn't so far from The La's in feel. It really doesn't take a stretch of imagination to hear Lee Mavers singing this.For me the album really goes up a notch from track five, "The Plains/Bitter Dancer" which breaks some new ground for the Foxes, like a cross between CSNY and Yann Tierssen. It possesses stunningly good harmonies possessing a sense of real human majesty; the kind of feeling evoked from big choral works."Helplessness Blues" is classic Everly Brothers/Simon and Garfunkel in style and tone to begin with, then it opens up into the classic Fleet Foxes vista of harmony. Fabulous stuff, this confirms that we are in the midst of a really top-notch recording. For me,"The Cascades" is simply the beautiful, modest heart of this album. It is truly magnificent. I won't labour the point and go through the remaining songs in detail. Suffice to say, they are great. "Lorelai" has strong shades of Brian Wilson in the harmony arrangement ` rather like the sound of "Holland" rather than "Smile" in parts. "Blue Spotted Tail" is clearly referenced from the work of Paul Simon and is great for it. This album has a fairly immediate modest appeal but it does not wane. It is a grower. Beautifully recorded. Up to now this is my album choice of 2011.Highly recommended.

My son and I share an appreciation of Brian Wilson, and he (my son) has been reccomending Fleet Foxes for some time. I bought this album, and I HAVE JUST BEEN BLOWN AWAY! I just cant get enough. Grown Ocean, Lorelai, Helplessness Blues. For me, it's all flawless. On a separate note, and although not on this album, the lead singer, Robin Peckfold does a great cover version of Crayon Angels, which in my opinion is better than the original. Can't wait for Fleet Foxes to come back to the UK so that I can see them live.