Fleet Foxes

Folk and Americana for people that don't actually like the genres. This is what they play at the Gap when they want to sound "earthy." For a fan of the grittier sound of both of those genres, this is the album that launched a thousand lame versions.

I remember buying this way back when, and was quite excited when this came up. For starters, White Winter Hymnal is a belter. But playing it again, it all sounds so kooky and hip and folksy. You soon get this uneasy feeling that this album enabled Mumford & Sons, which makes it hard to forgive. I have no idea what Fleet Foxes are really like, but it's too easy to imagine them as a bunch of city-dwellers who put on a tweed waistcoat and then pretend they've spent the day threshing wheat. The highlights aside, the folksiness was downright tiresome.

These lush melodies/harmonies never fail to put a smile on my face. The instrumentals are very well composed and gorgeous as well

Loved it. Beach Boys mixed with choral.

One of the best albums!!

one of my elite employees, J'ADORE fleet foxes et absolument tous leurs albums surtout celui ci et helplessness blues Chanson préférée: Blue ridge mountains

Amazing harmonies and very creative. An album to listen to time and again.

Very cool. I remember it as quite folky - I forget how rocky it is too. There is some huge beach boys influence too. Such brilliant hooks!

Me ha encantado, un gran descubrimiento!

I could not not give this five stars for being a millennial.

Oh one of my absolute faves for my 100th album! Truly no skips and I don’t know if it’s even my favorite of theirs, is it? No it probably is, I just love wading in waist-high water. Anyway. What a debut album! So many of these songs are on my driving playlist (and frankly, all other playlists bc I love redundancy). They feel tailor made for driving through the mountains so I spent some time pouting about Washington. Unexpected delights: Ragged Wood, Tiger Mountain Peasant Song

Brilhante. Dos meus álbuns preferidos.

It’s been so long since I last heard this. Too long perhaps! I was obsessed with it when it came out, and it’s added to my list of records that instantly take me back to a place and time without me knowing it. This was one of the first albums along with Grizzly Bear and The Antlers that got me out of a rut of more angry music, and down a more pleasant path. For the most, anyway. It certainly opened my eyes. I dunno how you’d class this, and it’s been copied a lot since, but something down the folk / pysch pop / indie maybe. It’s class, that’s all that matters for me I guess!

An all-timer 9/10 Favourites: White Winter Hymnal Ragged Wood Quiet Houses Blue Ridge Mountains ⭐️⭐️⭐️

sehr nice. is glaub progressive rock? ok nope american folk.. naja anyways i liebs! volle cool. bin erst dritter song und so hooked scho! es wird immer besser.

Beautiful, the harmonies were really pleasing

great album. was quite obsessed with it back in the day. loved the harmonies. somehow dated and timeless and timeless and dated. enjoyed their other output as well. but i think the best output may have been father john misty.

Bien.

I was so enamored with this album when it came out and saw them 4 times that tour. Listening now, it doesn’t seem so monumental, but in 2008 it was a literal lifesaver.

Really excellent experience of indie folk on display here. The music gets in my head and pulls me around with it, makes me want to drive down a rustic countryside with the top down. From the slow shifts to the upbeat positive songs I was happy to be along for the ride. Was loosely aware of the band before but am now a definite fan.

Always been an avid fleet foxes denier. I LOVED this album and cannot believe I've been shielded from their light for so long.

It's like this app knows it's incredibly sunny at the moment. Is there a better album to be driving along to on a sunny day with the windows down? I'm not sure there is you know

Gonna have to be 5 stars init.

Fan toppen lite indiefolkigt mys

Such a beautiful, bright yet soft, and really emotive album, very sweet mix of choral and American country music.

Every album comes from a time or place. For me it's the start of my second year of University. Living on my own for the first time after running from a family situation. For the first time in my life I'm really struggling: financially, academically, romantically. The beautiful harmonies and vivid pictures the album painted in my mind were a rare source of comfort. A reminder of the simple pleasures in life, like seeing the reddest strawberries in the summertime. Hearing the way Robin pronounced certain words like "at the top of Berenger HEEEOOOLL (hill)" always made me laugh. It's a classic album I'll always treasure. Another one I'd give 10 stars if I could.

I loved this album when it first came out and I still love it - I find it just as good now as I did then. The stacked vocal harmonies, Robin's absolute gift for writing a vocal melody, the instrumentation and dynamics, it's just great. White Winter Hymnal is on my "favorite songs of all time playlist" but there are so many other great moments. Tiger Mountain Peasant Song is stunningly beautiful, and the guitar work and harmonies that build on Quiet Houses are another high point. Really beautiful album from start to finish.

Shades of CSNY, Neil Young, the Dead, rhe Band. Songs about nature can be alienating but FF make it work with great melodies and harmonies.

Folktastic

I liked it! The melodies really hit

I know this album back to front, I don’t even think I realised how much I loved this album as a teen. It’s really good, so chill and folky in a way that wasn’t cringe when a lot of folk stuff from that era really was (I’m looking at you Mumford and sons). Harmonies 2 die for and if you listen really close you can hear Josh Tillman packing his bags to leave on to more fun things and that adds a decent tension too.

I feel like this simultaneously is incredibly of its time when the time was kinda lame when it comes to stomp clap hey indie music, but also holds up as like, way above any of their peers. I still really like it and can remember more or less the whole thing off the top of my head. I also feel like Fleet Foxes don't get enough credit for the stuff they did after this album, there's some good stuff in there!

Fleet Foxes is one of my all-time favorite bands and they are unbelievable live. This album is gorgeous.

Folk

(7/7) unique, almost haunting at times

Simply one of the most soft and beautiful folk albums of the 21st century. They really challenge what folk music actually is by having real depth to all their instrumental arrangements, as opposed to the more traditional super simple and stripped back style. And yet, there's still such a cosy and intimate vibe that no other band really seems to do quite like Fleet Foxes.

For a debut album this has a remarkable amount of polish. Ethereal, airy. Occasionally haunting. Really good.

What can I say. I simply love this album. 5 stars. Fave track - Oliver James

Amazing

BEST

A near perfect album! Glad I got the excuse to listen to one of my faves again. Talk about harmonies, talk about folky celebration. What a great addition to this list. 9/10

Conhecia apenas a música "white winter windmail" da versão do pentatonyx e a versão em stop motion deles, então estou interessado. No fim, curti bastante. Tirei uma ou duas músicas além doq eu conhecia para minha playlist de músicas aleatórias.

Richtig geiles Album

I’d loved the album, the indie folk and the banjo in the songs is amazing

This was lovely, as always.

I was just talking about how the fleet foxes injected me with energy once… great chill but still upbeat album. Going 4.5!!

Fleet foxes: one the best groups of the 2010’s All time favorite

Fleet Foxes is a fave. No skips on this album.

The only part of this band I have heard is Pentatonix did a cover of White Winter Hymnal and that is my favorite song of theirs so lets see how this goes? White Winter Hymnal (Yea GG this song is still a banger) Tiger Mountain Pleasant Song Quiet Houses (just specifically for the little riff and the ooohohoooo part that is INSANE) Your Protector! Oliver James This album probably has a TON of nuance and hidden meanings but imma be real I was writing a paper with this as background music and this was DELIGHTFUL 1000/10 do need to listen before you die. loved this prob gonna have it on rotation alot bc its just SO pretty and there wasn't a single song I disliked. GG upon relisten this is reminding me of Tea for the Tillerman and I ADORE that album so i think this is getting a 5. there isn't a single miss on this album

Und direkt danach genau das Gegenteil. Irgendwie klar zeitlich einordbar, aber auch über die Zeit hinaus wirkend. Klassiker.

Cat Stevens trifft auf Sufjan Stevens, Arcaden Fire trifft auf Beach Boys and just the right amount of Mumford & Sons. Alles Elemente der verschiedenen Einflüsse und Stile sind stark abgestimmt und das ganze wird nie langweilig trotz psychedelischen Verschwurblungen. Bonus fürs Bruegel Cover bei dem meine Lieblingsszene, in der der Narr der auf die Welt scheißt leider nicht zu sehen ist, dafür aber das fantastische niederländische Sprichwort "Es hängt wie ein Scheißhaus über dem Graben" großartig abgebildet ist. Bin heute großzügig, daher volle Punktzahl.

Yeah, I'm a soft indie hipster.

Love itttt!

It's 2009, and I’m in the midst of a life shattering heartbreak, so I move to the big city. My heart is bared as wide open as it will ever be, oscillating between hyperactivity and melancholy so quickly they become the same thing. I fall in with a crowd of beautiful, cool, ridiculous, interesting people, drink a lot and listen to a lot of music. My sonic palate expands. I'm introduced to a swathe of bands - Fleet Foxes, Bill Callahan, Bon Iver, Midlake - that make music in the folk idiom that plaintive, aching, painfully sincere, staggeringly vulnerable. It catches the particular light in my wild, sad young soul perfectly, and in that refraction things seem clearer. My own aching, painfully sincere, staggeringly vulnerable feelings don't feel so crazy. It's grounding, like a walk through a pastoral scene, in the fog of a frosty morning.

Lush and beautiful. I don't go back to this one nearly enough. Would be great on vinyl

Oh man. I have a massive bias here. This was one of the first albums I owned that was actually mine, expanding my CD collection to a respectable three at age 11. A camp counselor recommended this band to me, noticing a burgeoning interest in music. I listened to this so much I would’ve worn it out if CDs had grooves. I stayed a massive Fleet Foxes fan for a few years then fell away. I was young enough for someone teasing me about liking such a sincere, effortful band was enough to turn me off of them. I still listened to once in a blue moon, usually when spending time outside by Lake Superior or in the woods where their music hits hardest. I’m glad to say that I still love this and am old enough to rave about it without shame. It’s carefully crafted, the mixing is fantastic (Phil Ek did crazy work on this one), the melodies alternate between soaring and subtle, and I enjoy the nature-focused, folk-story like songwriting. It had been years since I listened to this in full and I still know every word. And I still love it.

A breathtaking debut that masterfully blends lush vocal harmonies with timeless, pastoral folk songwriting and perfect pacing.

Absolutely stunning album. A real stand out from 2008. Sounds as fresh as it did when it came out.

Folk-Rock, Cool!

This is an absolute classic, which floods me with memories every time I put it on. For those here who don’t think this is one of the most epic albums ever, I have no idea what you are (or aren’t) smoking. For those who lament the lack of hooks, I remember once going to a square in town and stumbling upon three guys trying to harmonize White Winter Hymnal. They let me join, and soon we were perfectly in line with the harmonies on the album. What other music inspires singers to assemble at the town square and sing, inviting strangers to help? The vocal reverbs are magic. This album is a forest. This album is a misty morning. This album is a mountain.

I am still 17 Young and beautiful and full of hope The endless summer is ahead

I love this album! One of my favorites by Fleet Foxes and also makes me nostalgic for my youth lol

One of my favorite albums. I remember reading about this in Under The Radar magazine and then buying it at Best Buy. It still really holds up.

One of my favorite albums on here so far. It's like if the forest made music

Automatically love the first song, added it to the Autumn playlist. Second song, White Winter Hymnal, has been a favorite for a long time. The sound of this album is consistent the whole way through, so would be good to listen to while getting stuff done around the house.

First Simon & Garfunkel, now, Fleet Foxes. Two absolute Giants of contemporary folk music. The fleet foxes are probably my favorite band ever. I don't think this is their best album, But the fact that their first album can be so powerful speaks volumes about their immense talent. Sometimes hopeful, sometimes somber, always brimming with emotion. Not many songs can elevate a good mood like ragged woods for me. White winter hymnal is of course a generational and universally amazing song as well. There are a l few slightly less interesting songs, but I still find myself happy to rediscover a few lesser known tracks. If I was rating objectively, this might be an eight or nine, but I'll give it a 10 because it's Fleet Foxes.

Really difficult album for me to rate without bias. I don't think anyone really rates objectively though. I absolutely love singing these songs. Some of them are pretty simplistic, mostly pentatonic, which makes them great for learning and singing along, but it also becomes a detriment at times (especially on "Oliver James" my least favorite) So if I were trying to objectively critique the album, which is not really what I've been doing, it might be a light four. But I happen to love it (Not my #1 FF album, maybe 3rd) Fleet Foxes made a sound that makes me imagine a band of bards travelling through a forest. They kinda sound medieval and fantastical without trying too hard. I have never heard anything else that makes the same impression

It's new for me and it's very good!

Beautiful album. Great album for camping or waking up in a cabin.

Love these guys!

Felt like the soundtrack to a Mary Oliver poem.

Absurdo de bom, adorei as músicas e a vibe do álbum.

Iconic indie folk album

Gran disco. Definitivamente te transporta a otra época, de fantasía, una época antigua pero con toques actuales. El uso de ensambles corales con estilo renacentista o barroco, el uso de una armonía sencilla con contrapunto pero con acordes pop y la forma musical verso coro, etc. hacen de este disco algo muy especial y único. Además, las pistas instrumentales dotan de más carácter y cuerpo al disco, habla de la calidad de músicos que tiene Fleet Foxes. Definitivamente un disco sin precedentes, con influencia obvio, pero muy innovador y único. Buen disco.

Exceptional. Top rate. Still gives me chills... 5 billion stars and more.

Excelente

Fleet Foxes is my favorite band of all time, that’s no question. This isn’t my personal favorite from them (Crack-Up RULES), but this is a great starting point. No modern band is doing this level of harmony right now. If you liked this, PLEASE give the rest of their discography a chance, it evolves quickly past safe indie folk.

Chad Foxes Insane run of first 6 songs

The title track is radiant optimism and inspiration, a promise. White Winter Hymnal has unfortunately been ruined for me by TikTok, but beautiful nonetheless. I should hear Ragged Wood more often, put it on the radio now. Tiger Mountain Peasant Song is what all love songs should be actually. Quiet Houses is lovely, but indescribable. Oh, He Doesn't Know Why, you were written for me. Love Heard Them Stiring with my whole heart. Your Protector makes you think it will fall flat, but it flies close to the sun. Meadowlarks is just sad in the good way. Blue Ridge Mountains is ascension, but not necessarily to heaven, just to a different place. Oliver James though feels like a less successful reprise of all the other songs in the album.

5, great album

I liked it a lot a lot damn. Very good top to bottom. It's giving a bit the lumineers 2015 industrial burger place but I don't mind.

They do have talent & it is a solid album but it’s on site fleet foxes. I h8 u

I remember this coming out, and there was nothing like it. Folk elements, but crossing genres too. Personally, this album, this sound, soundtracked those few years, defining them. That opening track blends influences like nothing at the time. The harmonies are timeless. So is this album. "He Doesn't Know Why" remains one of my favourite tracks of all time.

fave song: white winter hymnal

Quiet forests, echoing harmonies, and a sense of wandering through a moss-covered landscape. Rating: 4.8/5 Short Review: A debut that feels like the sound of sunlight filtered through trees. Lush vocal harmonies and folk-inflected arrangements create a warm, meditative atmosphere that feels timeless and grounded.  Favorite Track: White Winter Hymnal. Hypnotic, wordless layering that feels like wind through bare branches.

This is def going on the list

THE BEST HARMONY EVER. The theft they experienced from Bon Iver winning folk album at the Grammys was some horseshit. I love Fleet Foxes. My only complaint is their 3rd album doesnt compete with the first two.

About 3 songs into this album i was informed that my mom was in the hospital waiting for an MRI due to exhibition of stroke-like symptoms. While I pretty much never claim objectivity, I definitely have no claim to it here. My mom is okay, but also this album did help me a lot when I thought she might not be.

Thoughts before listening: I like these guys. Folky indie rock with lots of harmonies and Robin Pecknold's high pitched vocals. Some songs are better than others, but I definitely think this is one of the better albums and band software the 00s/10s. Review: Starting this album today I was immediately reminded of just how good it is. I think in my mind these guys get lumped into the Mumford and Sons/Lumineers/Avett Brothers camp, and while there are similarities, the melodies and harmonies are just so much stronger with this one. Also, there is a My Morning Jacket/Band of Horses style indie rock quality to the songs that really helps them to stand out. I'm leaning 5-stars here.

Great

Meadowlarks is the only kind of filler song on this album, and it's instantly followed up with my favorite fleet foxes song soooo

amei, faz muito meu tipo

I’ve listened to this three times over the past few days, and each time I like it more. Until now, the only Fleet Foxes tune I knew was “White Winter Hymnal,” which remains my favorite track. But this record works well for what I hope to get from an album: an artistic statement, charismatic world-building, and a strong cohesive palette that ties all the tracks together. This album accomplishes that, from the Bruegel cover art to the harmonizing vocal rounds. That’s why even though not all of the individual songs are standouts for me, I feel like rounding up to a five star rating. Also, I’m not convinced that this isn’t Jim James doing all the vocals.

Це легка п'ятірка для мене. Люблю цей гурт, їм вдається зробити якийсь просто неймовірний звук на всіх їх альбомах і на цьому зокрема. Ну і вокал теж прекрасний. Один з кращих дебютів ever. Маю на касеті, вчора переслухав і кайфонув.

Всім альбомам фліт фоксес я ставлю 5 за замовчуванням. Прекрасний гурт.

Maudlin British folk infused stuff? Don't mind if i do! This was stellar, honestly, and i don't know if it caught me on a good day but this is going on my regular list :)

Easiest 5 star. The soothing harmonies complimented robin pecknold's wonderful voice, while the instruments bring the folk sounds to life. While not quite as good as their next album Helplessness Blues in my opinion, the first album stands the test of time. The sound and production are spectacular quality, and this album helped lead Fleet Foxes on their journey to creating some of my favorite songs later on. I can understand if this isn't necessarily your genre, but to call it a bad album or mediocre music is tasteless nonsense as everybody should at least be able to understand why many would enjoy the flowing melodies and harmonies. Remarkably consistent in quality across the entire album, this is probably my favorite album we've hit so far

I embrace the perfect cliche of a Washington-resident who listens to Fleet Foxes while driving their Subaru to the Cascades, and I enjoy it every time. Nothing prepares the spirit for a trip into the backcountry of the North Cascades like the Fleet Foxes, and this album is thematic of all the sights, smells, and feelings that come with such an adventure. The instrumental arrangements on this album immediately transport me to memories of driving down Highway 20 along the Skagit River, Ross Lake, and Washington Pass, on my way to explore a new and spectacular region of these beloved North Cascades mountains.

Some of the most gorgeous vocal performances put to record, such a strong album

ta album mi da tok upanja, topel je, poleten ampal hkrati zimski, pogreje me in mi pove, da bo vse v redu.

Love this album

It was great loved blue ridge mountain

loved this!!

All rise for the millennial white guy’s national anthem.

I forgot about this album for a while, happy to hear it again. The album is not as cozy (so not as 'folk' folk) as I remembered, but it still hits for cold fall/winter days.

Just beautiful

One of my all-time favorites. It’s the twinkle of acoustic guitars, golden timbre of Robin Pecknold’s vocal harmonies, and bright, swelling crescendos that keep me coming back. Blue Ridge Mountain is a standout for me. This record hits me like a steaming-hot soup on a frigid day.

This music transports me to another place, very nice

So beautiful, reminds me of a long road trip, very nostalgic inducing The piano at the end of He Doesn't Know Why!! Favourites: White Winter Hymnal, Your Protector

Riktigt trevlig platta. Många harmoniskt roliga detaljer vilket gjorde lyssningen intressant. Den här kommer jag spara och lyssna på igen!

I really really like it! Favourite song: Ragged Wood

Perfect album. An all time favourite of mine.

This is so unbelievably good, especially for a debut. I’d always heard of them but sad I never gave them a look in before.

i love fleet foxes <3 ♡: Sun It Rises, He Doesn’t Know Why, Blue Ridge Mountains, Oliver James, Quiet Houses, Ragged Wood

Was forced to listen to this album on repeat for about a month while working at Borders Books. Unexpectedly, this resulted in me loving it.

First time I have listened to this artist, and my goodness, it is fantastic! Stunning songwriting, immaculate melodies, and a very high-quality, yet somewhat comfy production. It feels exactly what a modern folk album should be, with a vast amalgam of influences and modern sensibilities. You do kinda listen to it with some high-quality headphones or speakers, as it is very nuanced, and I am not certain it would translate to a phone speaker or a TV.

Nostalgic, perfect for drawing 5/5

9/10 big surprise

Ta album pa kar dobro poznam. Fin začetek novega leta. Fajn chill začetek s "Sun It Rises". Ful je dreamlike. Drugi komad, "White Winter Hymnal" je moj najljubši. Zmer so mi bli kul tud te seamless prehodi med komadi. Smo že v "Ragged Wood". V bistvu so teli prvi trije komadi kot a medley. Od Pecknolda vokal mi je ful lep. Če hoč koheziven album v zvoku in tematiki, brez, da ti vsi komadi zvenijo isto, je to to. Medtem, k pri R.E.M. se mi je vse zblendal together. "Your Protector" je hud. Je pa vajb totalno nekak isti k naslovnica - to ma smisel, k slišiš to musko.

Super mellow Friday vibes. College me would approve

So calming

Quiet horses is clearly very repetitive lyrically, but with all the vocalizing and different pronunciations, and styles to the same words gives a variation you wouldn't ever expect from reading the lyrics. The fact this is a number one charting right out the gate is impressive. Love the minimalist percussion and simple yet full music that results. Blue ridge mountains is probably my favorite track. It transports me back to the lonely little campground in Tennesse.

Probably the best folk album to come out of the 200’s

One of my favorite albums when I was in college, a millennial folk dream. Super creative and influential songwriting

More like a 4.5 but rounding up to a 5. Absolutely love this album, and the sound. I listened to it a hundred times, and it made me a fan of their other albums too.

Easiest 5 star. The soothing harmonies complimented robin pecknold's wonderful voice, while the instruments bring the folk sounds to life. While not quite as good as their next album Helplessness Blues in my opinion, the first album stands the test of time. The sound and production are spectacular quality, and this album helped lead Fleet Foxes on their journey to creating some of my favorite songs later on. I can understand if this isn't necessarily your genre, but to call it a bad album or mediocre music is tasteless nonsense as everybody should at least be able to understand why many would enjoy the flowing melodies and harmonies. Remarkably consistent in quality across the entire album, this is probably the most complete album I've crossed on this list so far. It's night and day to that godawful Mekons British punk country album I suffered through the day before, that's for sure

One of the most beautiful albums ever

My goats

Somehow sounds massive and intimate at the same time. One of my favourites

I’ve come to terms with it… The way I rate music is irrational. So much of how I feel about albums is tied to where I was when I first heard it. 2008 was awesome. So is this album.

really enjoyed

Have always loved this album. Wonderful for a Sunday morning.

Classic

A standout from a long list of bands that followed Bon Iver, Grizzly Bear and Tunng with a mix of pop, folk and other genres. Still works today

I love this album front to back. It signified a change in my listening habits in college. It gave me a sense of quiet at a time when I needed it.

Really enjoyed this album. Chill like the lumineers. The spotify auto play when it was finished was great too. Death cab, mumford etc

There wasn’t really any cohesion that I heard. Music is good but a pedestrian album all together.

Hippie ass bullshit that I love

Me gustó mucho

Perfect album for the rainy October day I listened to it. 100% fall-core music, as the kids might say. But probably do not.

nice

I was already familiar with this album before listening. It is indie rock that feels like a breath of fresh air. The vocal harmonies are superb. The instrumentation is fairly simple but it works well. I would listen to this album any time.

I have such a fondness for Fleet Foxes. They are everything I want a modern Folk band to be: rich vocal harmonies, fitting instrumentation, melancholy lyrics, they're the whole package. I was introduced to them through Helplessness Blues, and I think that's a better album overall but that may just be a bias because I already know that album and hadn't listened to this one front to back. Even still, White Winter Hymnal is an all time great song, and I'm sure this album will grow on me even more over time as I add it to the rotation. And all the people on this site who grade things poorly because they don't like the vocal harmonies are just projecting the fact that nobody wants to sing with them and they're jealous.

I already knew 'White Winter Hymnal' and loved it, so I am pleased to discover the rest of the album is of similar quality. I don't think there was a single one I actually disliked. It's an odd sound, Fleet Foxes. Not for everyone, but apparently for me.

Great album, great straight through listen. Folk/indie rock with a lot of vocal harmonies. Favorite tracks include Sun It Rises, White Winter Hymnal, Ragged Wood, He Doesn’t Know Why, Your Protector, Meadowlarks, Blue Ridge Mountains.

I had no idea what to expect the song that everyone knows and I thought this was fantastic. Really original and listenable.

заслуженные 5 очков. несколько песен раньше слышал и сохранил)

Loved this - great tunes, thx!

For a good two thirds of this album, Fleet Foxes serve up the very best melodic indie, bolstered by lush echo-drenched harmonies and clever arrangements which occasionally venture off into Smile-era Brian Wilson instrumental vignettes (which is a good thing, just to be clear). From White Winter Hymnal through to He Doesn't Know Why, they barely put a foot wrong, moving between full-on euphoria to acoustic melancholy without breaking a sweat. But - and there is a "but" - while the remaining tracks are far from terrible, there is an annoying hipster vibe permeating proceedings here, which is easy to ignore when Fleet Foxes are at their best, but it becomes more evident the less focused they are on the basics. The lush vocals quickly become pretentious when they are exposed and over-deployed in more sparse arrangements and one too many a capella sections. The band's trad-folk and prog wankery tendencies come to the surface when they turn their attentions beyond the solid pop melodies that are clearly within Pecknold's arsenal. Sadly, it would seem the niche prog-folk path was the one they chose to follow with subsequent long-players, which are nowhere near as immediate, accessible or, frankly, good as this debut. This is still one of my favourite albums of the noughties, and were it to have some tracks from the brilliant EPs which preceded it substituted in, this would be a nailed-on five-star album. Listening more than a decade later, the highlights still sound as fresh and exciting as they did in 2008, there is just that nagging feeling there are areas where they opted for style over substance. As I began typing this, I was pretty much committed to only awarding four stars, but I've been mulling over other albums from the era, and I can't help but think I have to change my mind and let this just scrape a five, if only to put a line in the sand and set the standard for the late-2000s-to-present music. Despite the flaws, I'm going to focus on the positive in this case.

Favorite Track: White Winter Hymnal

The first cool autumn breeze you feel after a long hot summer. Piles of orange and red leaves on the ground and the crunch it makes when you kick or walk on them. Sipping on a chai latte while wearing flannel. Dipping small donuts into apple cider while at a cider mill or an apple orchard. This album feels exactly like everything I said.

Everything about the album is fantastic. Modern folk rock with cool soundscape and beautiful harmonies. Even the album cover is refreshing :-) Favorite track: blue ridge mountains other picks: white winter hymnal, ragged wood, tiger mountain peasant song, he doesn’t know why, meadowlands

Delightful and easy to get into.

J'adore les voix qui ressemblent à une chorale contemporaine masculine, ce qui est rare! Des mélodies entraînantes et joyeuses, qu'on a envie de fredonner souvent. Ça amène de la joie dans la maison

Un excellent album!

"Fleet Foxes" is the debut studio album by American band Fleet Foxes. Indie folk, chamber pop, folk rock, folk pop and indie are the Wiki-listed genres. The band was formed by guitarist-vocalist Robin Pecknold and guitarist Skyler Skjelset in Seattle. For the album the band reworked existing songs emphasizing harmonies and unconventional song structures. Other bandmembers included Nicholas Peterson (drums, vocals), Casey Wescott (keyboards, vocals) and Craig Curran (drums, vocals). The album had wide-spread critical acclaim and did very well commercially reaching #36 in the US and #3 in the UK. The album begins with a capella intro in "Sun It Rises." Layered acoustic guitars. Pecknold on lead vocals with layered harmonies. Dreamy folk. Marching band drums and a jam band-ish electric guitar. A lot going on. I think he's talking to the sun asking why does it rise. The first single was "White Winter Hymnal." Pecknold on lead vocals as the harmonies join in crisscrossing him. More acoustic guitar, a bass drum beat and tambourine. It's a song Pecknold said was about friends abandoning him with he was younger. Beautiful song. Vocal harmonies begin "He Doesn't Know Why." 60's-ish guitar and harmonies as Pecknold unfolds a story about his brother returning home after a few years in an unrecognizable state and there appears to be nothing he can do to change it. They get the baroque pop going in "Your Protector" with an added flute. A song that has sort of a jaunty guitar and beat. Its builds in an epic fashion. The narrator is a resistance fighter who doesn't know if he'll return to his loved one. This is highlighted by tremendous lead vocals and harmonies. Lots of layered acoustic guitars but there's also a lot of details in the other instruments and music in general. Pecknold's voice reminds me of My Morning Jacket's Jim James as does the music at times. There are epic and jam band vibes which take this music past conventional folk. There's naturalistic imagery - rivers, snow, sun, winter. I heard the unconventional song structures with melodies coming in the middle of songs seemingly from nowhere. This is an exceptional album and one I should listen to more and so should you.

Somehow I have never listened to this album in full before. I love every song, I love the vibes, I love the instrumentation, I love the lush feeling of it. Delicious. Thank you Fleet Foxes.

The first album that I remember listening to shortly after it came out. White Winter Hymnal and Blue Ridge Mountains have been favorited by me for a while and they hold up so well. The vocals, lyrics, and whole vibe of this album are right up my alley. It can certainly feel a little "samey" at times, but hey, I can't say I don't like it.

Favorite tracks: White Winter Hymnal, Your Protector, Blue Ridge Mountains This album is ethereal. Every song was interesting and as a whole it was beautiful.

I’ve been feeling a little down recently due to the change of the seasons. I have this feeling of dread and mourning once summer turns into autumn with college starting back up, baseball ending, and going down shore not being possible anymore. But I think this album kind of makes me feel happy to move forward in these seasons. It makes me look forward to football, Halloween, Thanksgiving, pumpkin pie, and all the things that made me really love fall when I was a kid. It has a very peaceful cottage core feel that I really liked, it's almost reminiscent of early Alex G or even Mac DeMarco (listened to him during my entire first semester in college after high school). This is the kind of indie music that I really like. Favorite Songs: Sun It Rises, White Winter Hymnal, Tiger Mountain Peasant Song, He Doesn't Know Why, Heard Them Stirring, Your Protector, Meadowlarks Rating: 5/5

Inject this shit into my veins.

One of my favorite albums in general and especially this genre

Stomp! clap! hey! Not gunna lie, this genre has always been a guilty pleasure. Its fun, its an easy listen. Hipster music at its best!

what a debut! timeless, instant classic. Pour a glass of wine. Have a spliff. Don't do anything else but fold into the tunes.

Oh I liked the vibe a lot it's so up my alley. Blue ridge mountain fucks

I’m a Millennial hipster, this albums tickled all the right nostalgia strings. I didn’t realize I was a Fleet Foxes fan, but I knew every song on this album. “White Winter Hymnal” is on all my best Christmas playlists.

This album and its companion, the Sun Giant EP, were on constant rotation for me back in the late 2000’s. It was an album that was sure to bring either a tear or a smile to my face depending on where my mind was at the time. It’s just such a powerful record full of incredible vocal performances. Pecknold’s vocals in particular are so emotional and dynamic, his tone is insane with the rest of the band providing beautifully haunting harmonies all of which were well thought out while winding through these not so typical song structures. White Winter Hymnal, Tiger Mountain Peasant Song, Quiet House, and Blue Ridge Mountains have always been favorites for me but this entire album is brilliant. If you like this one and this band is new to you, keep listening cause their following albums are amazing too. Easy 5 for me.

Boy, I love this one. As with many of the albums I love, I can thank Andy for hipping me to it. I had never been a folk music guy, but this slapped me in the face and got me listening. I like the atmospheric vocals. Great album. Favorites are Tiger Mountain Peasant Song and Blue Ridge Mountains. This album is a 5 to me.

Good indie-folk. Relistened to it about 5 times.

so good!!

BANGGGERRRRRRRRRR

I actually really love this - on the first listen I was like sure whatever, but now I've been looping it for days now. Big fan. Your Protector and Blue Ridge Mountains are probably my favourites, but I'm grabbing the whole lot. They're kind Mumford & Sons but more Christian. I vibe. Will check them out. 5/5 stars.

Makes me want to sit in the woods for a few days. I love them

Really love this album and they are a great live show

I loved it. A rare 5 for me for the first time hearing an album.

Great album. Listened to it many many times before. I like Helplessness Blues just a bit more but this one is still a banger in its own right. 4.5/5

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. Just an unbelievably stellar debut album. So evocative, imaginative, and beautiful. One of my top favorites of all time.

Listened on the way to work, early morning (best time for this album in my opinion). Very familiar with this one, been listening since release in 2008. Love the folk indie style, beautiful record. Highlights for me are Your Protector and He Doesn't Know Why.

Pure ear candy. I've been a big fan of this album since first hearing it around the time it was released. It continues to be excellent, with the sublime harmonies being the highlight of the experience. If we figure out time travel and transport these guys back to Woodstock '69 they won't be out of place at all.

Forgot how good this was. Insanely influential. Was shocked this is my first 5!!

For something so recent, this is something I would have worn the grooves off of in my youth in the 60s - 70s. Nice harmonies and the tunes are melodic. Well done.

One of my favourite albums of all time. It came out around the time I turned 18, so I was the perfect age to hop on the indie folk hype train. Nothing in that scene came close to this though - it's a world away from the likes of Mumford & Sons, The Lumineers, etc. There's songs on this album that genuinely sound like music from centuries ago, updated and adapted to modern times. Now that I'm older and wiser, I see that Fleet Foxes owe quite a debt to Simon & Garfunkel (among others), but the songwriting and musicianship is so good that it does still stand as a masterpiece in its own right. They did somehow manage to top this with their second album imo, but I'm not sure if that's on this list.

LOVED IT! Album theme is so warm with it slightly-celtic tunes 🥹 I loved “He Doesn’t Know Why”, “Tiger Mountain Peasant Song”, and “White Winter Hymnal”.

White Winter Hymnal, Heard Them Stirring

I love this album so much. It’s very important to me for artistic and personal reasons. Its release is embedded in my memory, and I think I could even say that Fleet Foxes went on to be my favorite band of the 2010s with Helplessness Blues and Crack-Up both being masterpieces (I will rate them 5s too if they show up on this list). Technically I would give this a 4.5 because it’s not quite at the level of the aforementioned two, but it is still nearly perfect and packed with classic songs. Must-listen (#178), and side note, it’s so refreshing to get three 5-star albums in a row.

Gentle and peak, wow

Hits in the feels and it’s hard to separate myself and hear the album not biased by the time and place when I remember first experiencing it. The EP was lightning in a bottle and the LP took that feeling further. “Blue Ridge Mountains” takes me back to long contemplative drives in my ‘03 Honda Civic. The rest of the album, particularly the first half flows like a continuous breathing exercise that leaves you wrapped in a blanket of calm. Still so good and, man, 2007-2009 had some incredible albums that still resonate today. This is certainly one of those.

a modern indie folk classic reminds me of when i first moved to NYC and had to drive around a production van and WNYC played this album (and Helplessness Blues) a fair amount... big thanks to them for introducing me to fleet foxes, a mainstay of road trip playlists ever since

I have loved this album and revisited it so many times since it came out. It feels old-timey and modern, like it's always been there. I have so much nostalgia for this album and can't help but give it a 5.

#111 - This was one of my coming of age albums, it's held up great!

Excellent!

Excellent, big vibe for me in the 2010s.

This surprised me as I wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did. For a debut album it's pretty flawless from track to track.

One of my favorites.

I am certainly biased; living in Seattle the past 4 years, this record snapshots the cultural forces present in the area in a way no other collection of music ever has. Beyond it's bold, unique chamber and choral elements, devastating lyrics, and gorgeous guitar tones, this record speaks to something greater; it's sparse instrumentation and reverberant vocals conjures a feeling of isolation that resonates in the region and time it was recorded and echoes into modern life. This record is truly a modern classic, perhaps the greatest indie record of the 2000s

A fantastic album, serene and timeless. 5 stars.

Amazing album.

one of the best!

White Winter Hymnal

Fleet Foxes always deliver some masterpieces and their first album just show how brilliant their lush instrumentals alongside with the cosy atmosphere can delighttge listener. Although it is summer now, I felt transported to a winter cabin with a hot cocoa listening to this. Great lyrics and one of the best folk ever written.

There aren't very many indie-folk bands that have stood the test of time for me. I know Fleet Foxes was a little before the big indie-folk craze and they might be more indie than folk but this band really has stood the test of time for me. When I was 20 I was a member of the mormon church and I was doing a mission for them. On those missions, you're not allowed to listen to any music that's not church music which was incredibly difficult for me since I have always loved music so much. I caved and burnt Helplessness Blues to a CD and that album helped me get through that mission. So Fleet Foxes is a special band to me emotionally. I also just want to say that it's crazy that this is a debut album.

As a millenial, this is a really important album. One of the key albums of the folk indie world of the mid to late 2000s. This might be the sneaky best indie folk album of the time too. There's very little ego with this album, which is probably why its the sneaky best. There's no Mumford and his sons, or the 2 dudes from the Lumineers in suspenders or Conor Oberst yodel crying. (I love all of those artists, BTW). But this is very music and art first. Its always been that way, and its why its aged so well. They were just creating really cool unique music and not really investing in "who are the Fleet Foxes." There's always been mysticism and mystery with the storytelling in this record. From the album cover art work all the way to Oliver James. You don't really know who or what is going on, but the music pulls you in. Its wraps around you and you kind of just live in it. I love how Sun Rises starts the record as this kind of an appalachian folk song and then turns into this epic journey, which sets the presendent for the rest of the album. It goes right into White Winter Hymnal -another one of those "what the hell is this song about?" but then you kind of just want to listen to it on repeat because its so damn cool. And the vocals melodies are so perfect. This is easily one of the best songs of the 200s. Ragged Wood through Your Protector feels like one long epic song ending with Meadowlarks. Its all just different movements and layers and themes, but still just pushing this mystic story forward. Its takes off again with Blue Ridge Mountains before ending perfectly with Oliver James. This is almost a perfect record. I love this take on folk and acoustic music. I love the world building, I love that you can jump into any song at any point of the album and just be in it until the end. We're lucky to have been alive at the time that this record came out.

This record is so pretty. As someone raised in church, the layers of harmonies are warm quilts to wrap up in. What a nice world to step into for 39 minutes. After internet research on who the problematic brother character might be, I took a nap. I hope the brother is doing okay somewhere.

4.8 - Man this really is a great album. Listened to it so much when I first came out and still is great to this day.

Shit was actually great fr

Ok, this one got me by surprise. It is surprisingly good. I am not an major fan of folk, but this one may change my mind. Vocal harmonies are on point, excelent instrumentation, so many unique sounds. Excelent album, short songs but they seem to go by even faster with their quality. The songs are similar, but they defenitely don't sound the same, you know what I mean? They have the same feel, but each has it own unique flavour. Favourite songs: White Winter Hymnal (excellent, wow! gave me goosebumps!) Your Protector Blue Ridge Mountains

All of It

I can’t lie I absolutely loved this one. White Winter Hymnal a throwback cause I sang that in 7th grade choir and it was absolutely gas but everything else on this album was gas too

First time that I've listened to this artist. I have thoroughly enjoyed this record. The vocal harmonies are the greatest highlight and the melodies and compositions feel dreamy and otherworldly. One of my favorite discoveries in quite a while.

Wedding song!

This is better than it has any right to be. Nothing new or challenging happens, and there's tons of other bands with the same sound, but this album just works on every level.

Dang, I've heard of the band, definitely recognize White Winter Hymnal, but I'd never really listened. This was great. Every time Tiger Mountain Peasant Song came on, I'd stop and listen. Always a good sign.

It’s hard it overstate how good this album is. It’s such a confident debut from a band who have every right to confidence in their instrumental skill, their shimmering harmonies and above all their songwriting. They are folky but they so far transcend that label I’m almost reluctant to apply it, but I will, both because it’s true and because I don’t think that they as a band would want to repudiate the label. They take folky and they make it something deep, otherworldly, almost I want to say transcendent and all somehow without becoming pompous or tendentious about it. It’s just very, very good.

Wow!

Great voices. Too folk for me.

chill, good, knew more than I thought

10/10 I knew I already loved this album, but maybe underestimated how much.

I mean I traveled to Spain to see this band because of this album

Great album Other listens today Tunde Adebimpe, ‘Thee Black Boltz’ 4* Franz Ferdinand, ‘The Human Fear’ 5*

Insert heart emoji here, for there is nothing that can swell this folk simpleton's heart more than the opening bars of Ragged Wood. I will fend off with my dying breath any nonsense about this record being twee or inauthentic, it's just absolutely brilliant. The harmonies are sumptuous, the songwriting is right on point, and most importantly, it holds a really special place in my mind and in my full heart. It's not perfect, but it's close.

Oooh one I know going in. Probably gonna be a 5⭐️

Responsible for so many hat-wearing "Hey!" bands, but this album is why the folk revival had at least something behind it at the beginning

A lomos de White Winter Hymnal, Blue Ridge Mountains o Sun It Rises los Fleet Foxes conquistaron el mundo. Sonidos clasicos (referencias obvias a CS&N, Beach Boys más barrocos o Sion and Garfunkel) pero también un poso de Animal Collective. Una joya atemporal que se expandió aún más con el siguiente e imprescindible Helplessness Blues y la incorporación de Father John Misty. Su último álbum Shore, es otro clásico.

Wooooao love the vibe, the cord's intruments are like country but in rock and roll. Loved the lirycs and the cover it's beautiful

I really loved this album. I liked the indie mixed with an almost country-filk genra. It was really weird but in a good way. Rating - 9

Loved the second album more, but still amazing

Ive heard various Fleet Foxes songs throughout the years, but I must’ve completely missed this album. This is growing on me and is probably a full on 5 already. I hear everything from Beatles and Simeon and Garfunkel to early Mumford & Sons. In other words, it feels psychedelic and pop/folk/bluegrass. Specifically, in Quiet Houses, I hear what I think a lot of alternative rock bands would sound like in the early twenty teens - im thinking alt J, Saint Motel. In Sun It Rises, the chatter sounds like something straight out of the White Album lol My only ding against it (and this may be an unpopular opinion) is that it doesnt have a stand out hit. All the songs are equally interesting.

Have always loved this album - have listened to more of their later stuff and Fr John Misty solo stuff. It’s interesting to see the albums from this genre and era that are selected versus omitted, but think this album deserves to be on here. These guys stand out amongst the indie folk crew. No duds in the bunch - maybe a little low tempo at times but that’s my only complaint.

One of my favourites!

I can’t check my bias on this one. I wore out the CD in college and have it on vinyl. I absolutely love this album.

a lovely album

I miss the old fleet foxes

one of the best albums of all time

Nice, quiet indie-folk albums. Beautiful songs.

How many bands launch with such a fully realized sound? Baroque, pastoral folk songs that generally avoid the Americana tropes that became so common at this time.

Perfect acapella harmonies. Beautiful, pastoral folk melodies seemingly a conduit for nature itself. Sympathetic electric-guitar lines. Psychedelic reverbing swirls and eastern melodies. And this just the first track 'Sun it Rises'. It's one of those albums that everyone seemed to be listening to at the time; I had it on CD - and yet rarely have I revisited this in its entirety in the past decade (even in spite of being a fan of their recent atmospheric album Shore). Perfect in its construction, in its melody, in its execution and in its atmosphere. Five stars was invented for this sort of album - it's as close to perfection as you're likely to get.

Hozier

I forgot I love this album. There is something about it that just speaks to me. All around a fantastic listen that I love as much today as the first day I heard it.

An absolutely transcendent record, the beauty of this album is that it takes folk as its basis, but transforms and modernizes the sound of it without being glossy or overly polished. A gifted melodicist, lead singer and songwriter Robin Pecknold sings in a direct and clear voice without being flashly. Lyrically, the stories he tells through the songs on this album are vivid and relatable.

Good one!

Gorgeous music, I would judge anyone that said they didn't like this.

Always loved this. Forgot how good it was

Without Pet Sounds there would be no Fleet Foxes. I love this album.

Have had this album on repeat since its release. My go to “people who may or may not wear shoes that live in the mountains while making angelic music” band. 10/10

New to me and fabulous. Gentle, transporting, sad.

start slow, but always ended up being very powerful

Fun stuff Added White Winter hymnal + blue ridge mountains to liked Overall fun vibe

So many layers, so lush, the Pet Sounds of my generation!

The type of mellow expressive music that speaks to me. Love it

Love this band

A nice folksy time. Really nice sound and just overall relaxing. Very much a PNW soundtrack.

Fantastic, great sound.

Loved this! 5/5

Fleet Foxes are one of my favorite bands of all time. I saw them at Newport Folk Festival a few years ago and it was incredible. "Sun It Rises" is a perfect song to start the album. The harmonies are beautiful, the percussion (timpanis?) gives it this amazing feel that I haven't heard in many (any?) other bands. "White Winter Hymnal" is one of my most listened to songs ever. The composition is beautiful. At the right times this song gets me all emotional. "Ragged Wood" keeps it going. This song was performed beautifully in their "Live at Boston Harbor" concert video. 'I don't know what I have done, I'm turning myself into a demon' is a sweet line, and very dramatically sung. That's the highlight of "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song" for me. "He Doesn't Know Why" has really nice vocals. Robin Pecknold has an unusual way of singing. His voice is nice and he has a very distinct cadence. It pairs so well with these big songs setting fantasy-esque old-timey rural scenes. "Blue Ridge Mountains" is another iconic and stunningly beautiful song. This is one of my favorite albums. The Fleet Foxes sound is so unique and they have been an important band for me and my friends for almost a decade and a half. 10/10

This is definitely one of my favorite albums ever. I have so many great memories with this album, and it is the perfect soundtrack for the autumn/winter. It's almost impossible to choose a favorite song, so here are three of them: "Blue Ridge Mountains", "He Doesn't Know Why", and "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song".

An all time classic album for myself that takes me back to an earlier time in my life. Well produced, beautiful sounding tracks on this one. I may never listen to this album all the way through anymore, but I’ll always leave these songs on when the pop up on my stereo.

it's hard to leave an unbiased review as I love indie folk to begin with, but god this album is so simple yet so effective. good vibes all the way. makes me wish I checked out these guys sooner. I luove folk music.

Love this album

A fantastic debut from a band that hasn’t missed yet. Fleet Foxes are one of the best bands of the century in my view, any it started with this album’s retro sound. White Winter Hymn is a classic and a song my daughter loves. Ragged Wood is excellent. Beautiful singing throughout. I loved following David Crosby on Twitter during his final years and I always wondered what he thought of Fleet Foxes because they obviously have some CSN influence. I was disappointed when he finally mentioned them and said they “need to write better songs”. With all respect to Croz I doubt he's given them a listen beyond White Winter Hymn with that opinion.

Ethereal

Ethereal music.

I loved this from the moment I heard it when it first came out and it’s still one of my all time favourites. Fantastic.

Exceptional. This has to be the best thing to come out of the 2000s indie/folk boom. Incredibly well produced, fantastic performances, great songwriting. I'm also bumping this up a few points for the fact that without Fleet Foxes, we wouldn't have Father John Misty. That reason enough is to be grateful that this exists. 9.5/10

Fleet Foxes evokes 1960s vocal folk pop that I love to listen to. The production is deep and encompassing -- modern yet warm. 10/10 songs and performances, too.

Helt otroligt och omistligt album

Love this

I was following the I was following the I was following the I was following the I was following the I was following the I was following the I was following the

LOLLLLL it's like my playlist in here

Follow the Fleet Foxes on a journey through this magical forest that Pecknold & Co have created. His vocals blow with the wind, fly with the birds, rustle with the leaves, and glisten on the water. Truly a beautiful otherworldly experience. I can almost see this record serving as the score for a 90s/2000s cult classic fantasy film. All in all, it’s a record that connects you with nature in a way. The angelic and golden vocal melodies/harmonies play off of the rich and organic instrumentation like sunshine beaming off the tree tops. Well done Fleet Foxes. I was familiar with you as a teenager but I may have to revisit your catalog after this gorgeous work of art. Favorites: White Winter Hymnal, Your Protector, Blue Ridge Mountains

This album is a whole-ass vibe. I love it from beginning to end: The ambiance, the harmonies, the variation between tracks but without losing cohesion. I listened to some of their songs before, but I didn't put the time to listen to this whole album: It's going into my library asap. Extremely beautiful and powerful. If you like indie folk, this is one of its peaks.

Ya!

Beautiful album with delicate harmonies and wistful lyrics. Great for road trips

Две пятерки подряд? Просто потому что Fleet Foxes великая группа, и я очень скучаю? Лучшая песня - Winter White Hymnal.

2008 was the year my wife and I started dating, and a year before I graduated college. I probably heard these songs on Daytrotter's website before I heard the album. It's the sound of a lot of bands I would listen to in my 20s. I really miss that whole scene.

Elegant music drenched in reverb. Drum beats signaling a rock sensibility but with baroque tendencies

A favorite

Beautiful

Surely an important album (and debut!), which unreservedly deserves to be in a list such as this one. I can admittedly understand the point of view of listeners saying that there might be something a little too "distant", "cold" and even "plastic" in the strand of folk-music revival practiced by Fleet Foxes. The production and the vocal harmonies are indeed so pristine and "clean-sounding" in this album, maybe even to a fault sometimes. That said, the record also harbors FIVE absolute gems that make it a worthwhile experience overall. Those gems are "White Winter Hymnal", "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song", "Your Protector", "Blue Ridge Mountains" and closer "Oliver James". And in my "book", there are only four other records released in 2008 that can be placed higher than this LP -- namely Portishead's *Third*, Chad VanGaalen's *Soft Airplane", Vampire Weekend's own debut (also eponymous) and Deerhunter's *Microcastle*. So yeah, I think it's a safe bet to predict that there will be room left for Fleet Foxes in my own list of 1001 albums you must listen to before you join folk singers heaven. :) 4.5/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums, rounded up to 5. 9.5/10 for more general purposes (5 + 4.5) Number of albums left to review: around forty, as I've gone over the 1000 line and this generator is including albums from all editions of the book Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 458 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 271 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 331

It's the summer of 2008. I'm in my mid-20s, trying to figure out how to navigate the world as a working adult. Little did I know, an indie band was about to release an album that would refine my musical tastes for the next few years. Of course, "indie folk" as it was dubbed at the time, wouldn't just influence my musical journey, it would be everywhere, even mainstream if you count acts like Mumford and Sons (completely overrated in my opinion). Despite me wearing out my ripped copy of this self-titled album, I haven't listened to it in probably a decade. So even though it helped define a period of my life, is it still relevant? Is it still just as good. Well, nostalgia be damned: Fleet Foxes debut is a masterpiece. I've listened to it twice since getting it assigned for this challenge and I'm tempted to spin it again. The harmonies are chill-inducing, the various musical styles from acoustic singer-songwriter poetry to baroque melodies layered in top of each other make for such a unique sound that has since been borrowed from so many other artists that wanted to cash in on the fake-folk movement. There isn't a bad song on the album but "White Winter Hymnal," "Your Protector," and "Blue Ridge Mountains," stand out to me.

Bursting with brightness and warmth. A flickering candle, sunlight peering through the windowpane, and the whisper of the wind.

Overall: 10/10 This is such a gorgeous album. The tone of this album is immediately warm and inviting. The production makes you feel like you've stumbled upon the band performing in the middle of a forest. The harmonies are mind blowingly beautiful and give me so much comfort. This might also be the best an acoustic guitar has ever sounded on record. I say all of this while not being a huge fan of this style of folk rock that was so popular at the time, but these guys do it better than anyone I've ever heard. I'm gonna have to check out more of their stuff now. (I didn't want to give this a perfect rating cause I feel like I rate albums too highly but man, I can't help it when artists are making bangers like this.) Fav Song: White Winter Hymnal Least Fav Song: He Doesn't Know Why

I adore this album and return to it often. I had the privilege of seeing them tour after it was released. It was a small venue, perfect for these songs. When the music cut out and it was only their voices harmonizing, every single person went silent, suspended in that moment. I'd go to church every Sunday if that's all it was. I was reading about it today and realized Phil Ek, who helped produce this album, has produced a lot of my favorite 2000s indie rock music. My favorite song changes every listen; today it was Your Protector. I always love Blue Ridge Mountain as well.

hell yeah man

Love it

This is the first album I was given but I know it well. That said I listened to death when it came out and haven't played it in quite a few years. I read a few reviewers who hated it and gave it 1 star say it was bland or middle class or fake. Or they hate the weedy folky revival of that period. For me it stands well above it's peers of that time. The melodies and harmonies are a cut above. If you listen to half a bar of most Country or Folk Pop for the first time you could probably pause it and sing the second half. This album is far from avante garde but the tunes wind off in unexpected or surprising directions. And undeniably the main guy has a great voice.

WHITE WINTER HYMNALLL!!! I only know of this album bc of WWH. Will definitely be adding this to my library.

Outrageously beautiful harmonies, evocative pastoral imagery, indie folk rock magic. One of the best and most exciting debut records of the 2000s.

4.5*

What a beautiful album. I've never listened to Fleet Foxes before but now I want to check out all their music!

Gorgeous album. No notes.

the actual listening experience borderline refused to let me develop "thoughts" because i was just melting and the only thing i could break from the experience to articulate is "thats a godly melody huh"...attempting to reconnect with my semi rational mind in the aftermath, i think the closest thing i have to an interesting observation is how disconnected from Time this feels to me? folk music is proudly anachronistic, which is generally something to either be embraced or subverted , but more than anything else ive heard in the genre this feels almost absent of either history or perception of contemporary taste. ig that sounds like a criticism and tbh the effect is almost unnerving, but it feels like it comes from a direct cutting across those things to something more eternal...the sound that springtime itself has Always Had. rly special amazing record and a band i should rly sink my teeth back into

gorgeous

Loved it

This is peak frolicking music. Hate on this album and I’ll harvest the copper wire from your walls.

Today was a lil emotional but oh my god did this hit! Every beat, strum, and harmony made a hair raise. Genuinely made me feel the magic of music so deeply. Gorgeous!

I have a soft spot for this style of music, and Fleet Foxes in particular

1000000000000/10

Gorgeous album and perfect time of year for it. This is one that I used to listen to a lot so there’s some nostalgia around it, but it more than holds up. Might only be a 4 in the summertime, so good job 1001albumsgenerator.com on the timing.

Igual es porque de por sí estoy un poco bajón, pero me hizo llorar. Una portada muy linda; transmite muy bien el sonido del álbum, producción impecable; un sentimiento de arropo muy fuerte (me hizo acordar a Churupaca en eso), y lo mejor para mí: las armonías, suenan súper limpias y orgánicas (me recordó mucho a Aurora). Necesitaba escuchar algo así, definitivamente voy a escuchar más de ellos.

Smashing darling