Enter as Foxes, Exit as RabbitsOn first hearing I made all the same comparisons, more or less, as other reviewers did. I liked the harmonies, and anticipated that I may be adding the FFs to my regular listening.
On second hearing I once again felt that flush of expectation as the first track kicked in. About half an hour later I had this vague sense of an irritating noise in my ears and realised the record was still playing. It had completely lost me, and as I listened I wondered if perhaps this was some fiendish loop tape I'd been handed which just went on and on, like music on hold.
A shame, really, that they were unable to sustain the initial anticipation by varying the sound enough for me not to tune out.
A little like when you're out on a walk and you see your first bunny and think "How cute"; then you see the rest of them in their thousands, and they're not so cute any more, just too much of the same thing.
sunday morning tinged folk pop, ala beach boys/nick drakeThis album is by far one of the best things to come out in 2008. i hadnt heard a great deal by this band but i was drawn to the depth and consideration which had went inot the album artwork.
Its hard to pin point a particular artist to which to compare fleet foxes too, its more like a combination of many, midlake, nick drake, neil young, my morning jacket.
All of which are most def worth a listen if you like this album. to me there isnt a bad track on the album and everyone is a musical array on the ears, star spangled, acid tinged pop/folk at its very finest.
To me there are a few stand out tracks on the album, 'ragged wood' is by far my favourite, its one of those tracks which you hope never ends or is constantly on repeat! its like two or three songs in one, constant tempo and beat changes throughout the song, a most ecclectic haunting voice throughout.
'He doesnt know why' is another stand out track, this is something you could imagine a slowed down beach boys to sound like, poppy tambourine beats and catchy words to hum along to. In fact most tracks on the album are my favourites but just wanted to pick out a few of the best in my opinion.
Like i mentioned there isnt a bad track on album, its not a long album so its highly unlikey you will get sick of it. ive had it for months now and still remains a constant favourite on my decks!
over rated by music snobsOh my goodness !!! I studied the reviews and thought hey, some amazing new music to spruce up my rather ecclectic record collection. I have never considered myself a bore with my personal music taste but this was possibly one of the worst purchases I have made. This album will be at my local charity shop as I type these words !!
I could not really fault the musicians ability in playing their music, the drums and guitar are in fact pretty good. But oh god, the singing and harmonies mixed with the recording techniques make this record sound like a beach boys demo 8 track that was produced in a californian public toilet.
The album starts of in a vaguely interesting manner which by track 3 reaches a peak of unchanging boredom that lasts until the very end of the last track.
Save yourself a tenner and listen to some beach boys B-sides, these foxes are far from fleet more like dawdling!
Loup The LoupsSteeleye Span meet America in a wonderful synthesis. There's not a bad track on this album which drips with haunting melodies. Best band of the new Millennium IMHO.....'White Winter Hymnal' is the Koh-I Noor of the jewel box........
7/10Despite all the cross referencing on here to CSN and Brian Wilson, this actually sounds like My Morning Jacket meets Peter, Paul & Mary (esp covering John Denver's "Leaving On A Jet Plane"). There are a few outstanding tracks on here (really outstanding) but tracks 4 to 7 are a little on the weak side and needed some help. I'm not saying they're poor just that the band needed to take some time to get a better running order as there's a bit of a hole in the middle. Perhaps the excellent "Your Protector" should have been moved forward.
However, a very good album and worth shelling out for.
There are some people saying that Fleet Foxes are America's next big thing. I'd just like to point out that at places on this album I'm fleetingly (excuse pun) put in mind of Animal Collective at their most conservative. At that point you have to start putting things in perspective.
Hide Reviews