Hot off the success of their terrific EP, Sun Giant, Fleet Foxes have delivered one of the best albums of the year.

This is a special album that is brilliantly crafted by superb musicians. These are men that love to play together and everything in their music exudes warmth and love. It has elements of rock, folk, gospel and even church hymns.

It's an astounding album, what does everyone else think?

I love it.

and i'm not really a folk fan...

usually I look for some kind of "twist" in my music, so it sais a lot about this album that it grabed me like that immediately, being a straightforward folk/rock/whatever (i'm not a ganre-geek either...) album basicly.

One of my favorites this year.

BTW - I didn't like the EP nearly as much.

I actually haven't listened to the EP, but the full-length is stunning. Really beautiful vocal harmonies, a great folky sound, but most of all they're stellar songwriters.

After hearing really tepid efforts from Band of Horses and The Shins last year, I'm glad to hear a band that nails it.

quote:

Originally posted by cuneyt81:


After hearing really tepid efforts from Band of Horses and The Shins last year, I'm glad to hear a band that nails it.

I totally get the BoH comparison (and MMJ, for that matter), but The Shins? I don't really see how those two bands are related at all.

Well, not in the whole album, but some of their poppier songs, like "White Winter Hymnal" and "He Doesn't Know Why." I can hear some Shins. It's more of an aesthetic than a songwriting style, lotsa reverb, Phil Ek, etc.

But Fleet Foxes are far more organic, rootsy sounding, that's for sure.

Ignores Fraggle...

I think its absolutely fantastic...my favorite album of the year so far, hands down. I highly doubt anything will overtake this for my personal #1 spot.

I'm a sucker for vocal harmonies and this album is full of some beautiful ones. What a great voice the lead singer has. Excellent songwriting too. I still can't help but smile when I hear a song like "White Winter Hymnal" or "He Doesn't Know Why". They are just so perfect I have to grin.

I can't get enough of this....I imagine this will get a lot of good press in the coming days.

Gorgeous and fantastic album. White Winter Hymnal is a favorite, but each song has something nice in it. I plan to dig deeper and deeper into this album until I have a nice little home in it.

This is truly a monumental piece of retro-whiplash art. It's hard to know how it'll be received, but, mark my words, this one could make a big impact this year.

quote:

Originally posted by ezatldude:
I totally get the BoH comparison (and MMJ, for that matter), but The Shins? I don't really see how those two bands are related at all.

If you really pay attention and listen to the actual CD version, Pecknold and Jim James sound very dissimilar. He doesn't have the Southern drawl and he doesn't do the yelps and screams like James. Pecknold's voice is a bit more reserved and he might be a more talented singer.

I do get The Shins comparison. Also, Phil Ek has produced The Shins and he helped produce this debut as well.

And I agree with everyone’s song choices but my favorite has to be "Blue Ridge Mountains"—it’s striking.

I stated elsewhere, but I will repeat here.

I still prefer the EP. And that's not even huge on my list. I tend to be a real big folk music fan, so I don't know what is wrong with me.

I can hear a little bit of Band of Horses, but my brain keeps screaming Midlake.

It's also pretty cool that J. Tillman joined the group.

Midlake is much more contrived. And I like Midlake, but quite frankly Fleet Foxes is both grander in scale and more natural in coming to it's conclusions than Midlake. Midlake has to try really really hard to make their music. Fleet Foxes are unconscious right now.

I can safely say this is my favorite album of at least the last year and a half.
Favorite- Blue Ridge Mountains

Truly amazing.

Just slid itself into my top 3.

I would take out the first 10 seconds or so. A little too goofy.

Finally got around to hearing this. In retrospect, Band of Horses didn't seem like such a My Morning Jacket rip-off.

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Finally got around to hearing this. In retrospect, Band of Horses didn't seem like such a My Morning Jacket rip-off

God forbid there be more than one band in the indie world that have some folk/southern tendencies and use a little reverb.

They are all excellent bands in my opinion, and they all have their own sound. I think the comparisons are just lazy, really. The last 2 MMJ albums in particular don't sound a thing like Fleet Foxes. Take any song off of "Z" and input it in this album and it would seem terribly out of place, save for perhaps "Knot Comes Loose".

It would be a shame if this incredible album is overshadowed by weak MMJ comparisons.

I think the comparisons are lazy as well (perfect word to describe the associations) but I wouldn't let them bother you too much. I have heard people say that the voices "are identical" and that's just ridiculous, do their ears work? It is unfortunate but some people are just not going to like it for whatever reason.

Plus, Eric's not a big fan of My Morning Jacket or Band of Horses so he not liking Fleet Foxes is no surprise.

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Originally posted by TotalTrash:

God forbid there be more than one band in the indie world that have some folk/southern tendencies and use a little reverb.

Actually I'm pretty sure that what is turning me off to the album is that there is a lot more than just "a little reverb".

It reminds me of my neice when she plays piano and holds the reverb peddle down constantly because she thinks it makes everything sound beautiful. Too much reverb, even over good songs, makes my brain think "pretentious".

I'm not trying to insult the group, because I think there is a lot to like about them, and more power to all of you for doing so. It's just not making me explode at all.

quote:

Originally posted by Shadrach:

It reminds me of my neice when she plays piano and holds the reverb peddle down constantly because she thinks it makes everything sound beautiful.

That's what I do, too. And it does! Go reverb!