By: Kurt Rambis
Not too many years ago, a show pulled into the New Brookland Tavern to little fanfare. I think that All Good Citizens had more promotion whenever they played. Headlining the bill was moderately buzzing Blitzen Trapper who had just signed to Sub Pop. Opening up for them was a young band that I’m not sure anybody had heard of called Fleet Foxes. Nobody there would have predicted this band would several years later put out Pitchfork’s album of the year. With that came worldwide acclaim and headlining shows at venues whose green rooms were larger than New Brookland. Now Fleet Foxes has put out Helplessness Blues which sees a young band take a massive step from excellent to amazing.
The last time we said hello to Fleet Foxes, we were greeted with vocal harmonies. Here, the album begins with a simple guitar and Robin Pecknold’s voice by itself. While we eventually get to the trademark harmonies, the tone set in the first ten seconds of the album prepares the listener for a different experience. This album is a completely different animal than their self-titled debut. What made Fleet Foxes special on their debut is still present, but what could at times be a dense listen has given way to a massive record that gives both the listener and the band space to move and grow. Instead of an album of only folk songs largely accompanied by vocals, guitar, mandolin and drums, this album sees the band experiment with new instruments, varying tempos, and most notably a certain confidence that wasn’t always present on their previous effort. We see the band “rock harder” with Kinzie Battery and go even softer with “Montezuma” at the same time. The band explores new ground with the dynamic “The Shrine/An Argument,” a song that seems to take you in a familiar direction before making a quick detour to a route you might not have expected. It’s not quick and it’s not the norm, but in the end, it’s a ride your glad the band took you on. The real highlights for me are “Lorelai” and album closer “Grown Ocean.” “Lorelai”stats with a simple drum that harkens back to the proms of decades past before a quietly picked guitar chirps in over it. The song then ambles sunnily along with harmonizing, the aforementioned drum beat and chirping guitar and what sounds like twinkling keys in the end. To me this is the prettiest song so far this year. “Grown Ocean” is the perfect closer for an album that is about as flawless as one can get. Everything you loved about the band is here, and everything you will love listening to this record shares equal billing. The stark finish to this record is genius. Naked vocals with a shimmering triangle and an abrupt end leaves the listener expecting one last flourish to go out with a bang, but instead the bang is provided by silence.
Fleet Foxes have taken their sound, which has been often imitated over the past couple years, and improved it in every way. My nearest reference point to Fleet Foxes is the current output that Death Cab for Cutie has been putting out. No, the two sound nothing alike, but Fleet Foxes are one of those bands that will appeal to just about anybody. What I mean is, this will equally appeal to people who wear beards ironically and people who think nothing looks more badass with a Richard Petty #43 cut-off t-shirt better than a thick, wooly mustache. Helplessness Blues is poised to become one of those seminal records that bands will aspire to and critics will reference for years to come.
Grade: Numbers and letters are worthless, but it’s an A+. For fans of Simon and Garfunkel, Crosby Stills and Nash, Grizzly Bear