Fleet Foxes

Mumford and Sons' Cousins

Enjoyed this album. It was unexpected. Interesting compositions and good voices.

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

Two duds in a row

Lovely stuff

Beautiful arrangements and melodies.

Really easy listening album. Ragged Wood should have been the A track, such a nice flowing song but I understand why it’s not. It’s better than White Winter Hymnal. Album could be a game changer/ movie soundtrack.

Chill! Kan absolutt vokse mer på meg dette med noen flere gjennomhøringer. Broren min har mast om dette bandet en stund nå, så på tide å høre på det.

Likar dette! Har hatt eit par låtar på ei spelelister, men likte albumet i si heilheit òg.

Dette har jeg hørt før, og likte det godt sist gang også. 3-4

Альбом не похож на время своего выхода очень похоже на 70е я бы даже сказал что не отличить

Pretty nice tunes. Low 4/5.

When Fleet Foxes came out, it felt genuinely refreshing. Not wholly original: the Simon and Garfunkel comparisons are fair, and you can hear CSN and My Morning Jacket in there too. But here's the thing: I'd rather listen to Fleet Foxes than CSN. The harmonies are lovely, the melodies hold up, and it's just a pleasant record to spend time with. Some of the critical resistance seems to come down to "too pretty" and "not original enough." Neither charge holds much weight for me. Very little is truly original, and this struck me as more distinctive than most of what was coming out at the time. (On the light side of a 4, but deserves more than a 3)

Folk music with pleasant melodies and harmonies. Favourite song: White Winter Hymnal

Heard Before? Yes. There was a firestorm of hype around this in 2008. Notes: - this feels like folky cosplay despite all the lyrics about landscapes. - yet this notion of what's "authentic" or not feels like a moot point when the songs are this gorgeous. - it's easy to hear how these vocals soared over their contemporaries in the indie-rock scene. it was the return of pretty. - arrangements are nicely varied from song to song, covering the whole acoustic to electric spectrum. drums are just right, disappearing at key moments. - production wise, everything is so lovely and balanced and perfectly captured. i could kiss the engineer. - lyrics are appropriately vague, keeping the focus on the sound. Verdict: Like the Byrds of the 00s, a lovely, chiming take on the folk-rock idiom. Style over substance, perhaps, but I love style. Listen Again? I'm sure at some point, at least something of theirs. Their discography is fairly consistent - it almost doesn't matter which one you put on.

very up my alley and fun folk-ish songs with good instrumentals that i enjoyed

Very soothing but doesn't sound too different to the albums of the same genre coming out at the same time

an album born from the often made fun of hipster indie 2000s. this era holds a special place in my heart, even though i totally get why it's divisive. this album is what i dreamed my life would be when i was in high school, full of optimism & finding my personal style. it's a reality that existed, but I only saw the tail end of.

I expected to really hate this and kinda want to still but it has enough beautiful melodies that I just can't.

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

Perfectly adequate piece of modern Americana. You can imagine them mid-afternoon at a festival with this washing over you. Inoffensive.

On the whole I liked the album. I liked the variety of instruments used. I liked the harmonies. There were a couple of songs that the same phrase was repeated a little too often, but mostly I liked it.

I was actually kind of surprised that I didn't recognize any of the songs on this album, because I've definitely heard of Fleet Foxes and it's a type of music I typically would listen to and be familiar with. I'd describe their sound as a mellower version of the Lumineers. Almost a Bon Iver kind of sound. I'm on the fence with this one. I enjoyed listening to it and wouldn't mind listening to it again. But, I found it to be a bit forgettable, which is maybe why none of the songs sounded familiar - maybe I've heard them in the past and they just didn't stick with me. It just sounds like a lot of other folksy, indie rock stuff that came out around the same time, so not sure I would distinguish it over anything else. Very polished and beautiful songs. The harmonies were fantastic. But nothing super unique.

Is this considered stomp clap hey music? Not sure. This was very popular in the early oughts indie circles when other indie folks artists broke out big like Bon Iver and Wilco. I probably haven’t listened to this in over a decade so let’s try. It’s fine. Good vocals and cute production. A bit forgettable throughout but fine. Two stars I guess.

Gonna probably check out more of their music.

Zzzszzs no thank you all I think of is the video where the hard better faster stronger girls dance to mykonos

Mandatory 4 because I went to Emerson College and they gave us Father John Misty.

Amazing

BEST

An album I've listened to many times, so had to be intentional about being objective. I definitely enjoyed it for the arrangement and production, but the lyrics were overly sentimental at times and the overall vibe is a little full of itself. 3.5 rounded up because in spite of what I just said, I've listened to the album no less than 100x (albeit sleep music much of the time).

Listens: 3 Standout Tracks: ? Compared to some of the stuff I've had on the List, this album has, on paper, good listen counts. I know those can be juked, but I tend to take it at face value if we're not talking top ten most popular artists in the world. My point being, people seem to like this. It clearly has wider appeal than, for example, Fugazi's Repeater, who I just listened to a few albums ago. It's also not Beatles material either, but for an album from 2008, it has 7 songs with over a million listens. I do not care much for this album. I don't hate it, but on just about every song, where I think something interesting is going to happen, or when I hope the song is going to go in a particular direction, it doesn't, and I'm left disappointed/deflated and wanting more. Most of the songs are short, so by the time you start to get a "lift-off" moment, the song is just about over. It's just not captivating to me.

интересный опыт. чувствуется как ребята шарят в фолк музыке + люблю чеймбер поп из-за изысканности, струнных, духовых и т.д.

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

Cromulent but forgettable. Sounds like 2010's indie folk rock

made me pay attention to my job. better than nothing, objectively good musicians.

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.

No me gustó

Love the baroquish poptunes, and the variety of songs within the album. Some of them pop, some are rather classic pastoral.

Richtig geiles Album

Very good, very solid dreary album that sounded like it was recorded in a gym lockeroom shower.

Sun it rises: I love the country, accapella, dissonant start to the song. Woah, it’s so soft and gentle, and it’s making me feel really emotional actually. The end guitar and ‘ooh’ is so haunting. The finger plucking and the minor notes really twangs at your heart and I love it. White Winter Hymnal: This is such a visual album. The lyrics paint a gorgeous story, and all the supporting instruments support that gorgeous story. This song is so warm and cosy, which makes sense as it’s about children wrapped up in the snow. I hate country, does this count as country? No, this is much more an indie folk-rock and it’s so gorgeous. Not something I’d listen to on repeat, but the chorus is so soothing and like a lullaby. His vocals are so nice and soft. Ragged Woods: As a debut, this album is revolutionary. They’ve already found their niche from the get-go. Yet, I suppose it’s easier to find their niche as it’s relatively modern (2008) so the sub-genre/niche is already well established. This song isn’t as good as the others in my opinion, the instruments are supporting the story but I guess the story isn’t my favourite story. I’m trying to figure out if the whole album is a story, but I don’t think so. I think it’s all within the same sonical and lyrical universe but not a chronological story. I really do applause the string section however. I think now, halfway through the song, it’s regained that lovely cosy feel which I’m loving. Tiger mountain peasant song: The titles certainly are a statement. Again, lovely and cosy. His voice is so gorgeous, it’s almost like he’s got a Scottish lilt but I could be very wrong. I was pleasantly surprised by the gentle vibrato (is that the right word?) at the start and throughout the song. This song is very somber, and I could see myself crying to it if I were in a more emotional state. Quiet house: I love a repeated refrain, and after such a sad song before and with this joyous music and such bitter sweet lyrics it feels both like a reward and also as a resolution to the previous song - especially with the slight dissonant piano chords. He doesn’t know why: This song felt like a goodbye, especially with the final piano bit and the voices. It didn’t awfully stand out but it was still lovely. Heard them stirring: Very sonical, obviously, there’s no lyrics. It’s good though, it tells a story exceptionally well. Your protector: The wind instruments are really poignant. I really feel it in my legs (?). It’s very nostalgic somehow. This whole album feels very nostalgic and it’s making me feel a bit upset. I do like this song, I feel a lot of things whilst listening to it. Meadowlarks: Woah, this is gorgeous. I would add this to every playlist. It’s so poignant and so emotional and has so much depth which is only supported by the guitar. Woah. Blue Ridge Mountains: This is not dissimilar to a choral song at the start and being raised in a catholic school I’m a sucker for those kind of songs. Then it goes into this gorgeous story about missing a brother at surface value. And throughout the songs there’s a background organ sound which really pleases me. The lyrics are gorgeous, how he describes the story is so vivid and I can really imagine it. Oliver James: I’m not totally convinced by this song. It was a nice farewell but not something I would count as effective as the other songs. Overall it’s more of a 3.5 but not good enough for a 4 so it’s a 3.

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

This album is seasonal for me. Cozy winter days cuddled in a blanket.

I bought this record when it came out. Still like it.

Album 158. Fleet Foxes (https://open.spotify.com/album/0Syn17gPB8FVLmRpFiYWyM?si=EzKg7RmoT_GpKudt0XkAfQ) — Fleet Foxes (2008) Very beautiful and calm folk album. It tends to be very similar in a bad way to many other albums in the genre, but somehow it works well. Added two most popular songs of the album, they're really good. 3/5 Liked: — White Winter Hymnal — Blue Ridge Mountains

Me dio mucha paz

Bump up a point for the wifey (who likes these guys). Nice sound, but a bit monotonous for me.

calm. pleasant. nice vocals. suitable for dinner parties with guests with unknown music tastes but known discerning taste, or campfires.

Ambient and nice. Happy to discover an album that is very appropriate to put on in the background for lovers of music that will add to rather than disturb the vibe - non distracting

This was pleasant enough, but I don't see going out of my way to listening to it again.

I don't know why, but I could never really get into Fleet Foxes. I've loved the folk renaissance of this millennium, but these particular folks kinda bore me. One of the things this project has taught me is that I like catchy songs, and that's not what Fleet Foxes are about. This was still fine, just not something I'll ever seek out again. 3.3

It got off to a rough start as I really disliked the first song "Sun It Rises". Then, I kind of loved "White Winter Hymnal". Eventually, it all started to sound very samey, and I lost interest. Not terrible, but nothing I'd ever return to... except "Hymnal".

Well crafted and well produced but not for me. Didn’t hate it but didn’t like it. It was just playing and I went about my day.

This was lovely, as always.

Good for a renaissance fair

Interesting folk, Irish feel.

Really enjoyed this album. Yes, it is a little bit more boring and on the crunchy side. but his voice is so soothing and I did some really good deep work while listening to this album.

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

Well-produced, but, well, boring. 🥱 4/10 Acceptable

Album #115 Fleet Foxes: Fleet Foxes I was following the I was following the I was following the I was following the I was following the … Fleet Foxes self-titled album is potentially the greatest indie-folk release of the 2000s. Indie-folk as a genre can so easily veer off into cringe territory, the idea of a group of privileged trustfund kids picking up acoustic guitars and larping as if they lived pastoral lives is quite a nauseating thought; however, against all of the odds Fleet Foxes manage to come off as remarkably authentic and are talented enough to really immerse you in their fantasy. This album doesn’t have the same level of complexity to their lyrics or social commentary as they would later achieve on ‘Helplessness Blues’, however, I much prefer the production of this album, something about it makes it seem like each song is out of a fairytale. The only bad thing that I can really say about this album is that it did to indie music in the 2010s what Nietzsche did to Germany in the 1940s: created something complex that morons thought they understood and turned into something horrible. Is it a bit extreme to compare the ‘stomp-clap’ indie movement to the rise of fascism in Nazi Germany? Perhaps. However, for a time, there really was a swarm of Fleet Foxes clones trying to emulate their magic, even becoming more commercially successful than them, but never coming close to making anything near as good. Best Songs: He Doesn’t Know Why, White Winter Hymnal, Your Protecter Worst Song: Heard Them Stirring Score out of 10: 9

Having read Simon from Bella Union records account of Fleet Foxes. Their emergence fully formed is remarkable. I personally think this set the whole alt country genre into a new league and copied by many.

Love the overall sound. I have trouble relating to the lyrics which mostly are pretty vague and hard to contextualize.

Aside from the very strange, twangy, a cappella opener, this was a nice easy listen. Nothing extremely noteworthy, but there are some very pretty harmonies.

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

It has shades of mountain folk music but it seems like the people who made it are cosplaying mountain folk? That's kinda lame.

What happens when people who own live, laugh, love artwork decide they want to listen to interesting music. This must be what purgatory is like

I'm really only familiar with this group's "White Winter Hymnal" so this is a first-time run-through of this album and this artist for me. I feel like I have some idea of what to expect. It's alright, I don't hate it, but it's also just not something I'll be coming back to either. At the time this came out, it was probably more new and fresh, and then people came after them to beat this horse to death, and now it just feels blah.

Probably a 3.5 but not quite a 4?

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

Unusual and very interesting. Great acoustic folk with influences ranging from Nashville to England to the Beach Boys. There's a very '60s feel to the whole thing, with a strong dash of Britpop thrown in. Great harmonies, simple but effective instrumentation, lyrics that somehow sound both traditional and unique. I dig it.

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

I have heard of this band and know people who rate them highly but I just didn’t get it. I thought the songs were inexpertly crafted. Not sure what else was going on musically in 2008 but perhaps this was feted due to lack of good albums in charts at that time. From Your Protector onwards it got better but then that is probably because they sounded like CSN&Y and the Oliver James riff sounds like There is a Mountain by Donovan.

I zoned out for most of this.

This wasn’t actually too bad

second song is the one

medio aburrido, bueno como musica de fondo 2,5 estrellas o 3 no se ah

In the gentle light as the morning nears You don't say a single word of the last two years Where you were or when you reached the frontier Das ist alles so zeitlos schön, dass mich die Erwähnung des „connecting flight“ beinahe komplett rausgeworfen hat. Aber nur beinahe. Sanft, zart, fragil, die Harmonien perfekt auf die Stimme und die Instrumentierung abgestimmt. Ich denke man kann das auch zu süß, zu soft, zu wholesome finden. An einem anderen Tag hätte ich das vielleicht auch. Heute macht es mich glücklich.

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.

*Solid modern mix of American/British folk

Not my cup of tea.

Fleet Foxes was a recently discovered pleasant surprise for me. My favorite song "Mykonos" is not on this album, but there are enough other good songs to make it strong: White Winter Hymnal, Tiger Mountain Peasant Song, Your Protector.

I think if this album had been served up in the Fall, I would have easy 5-starred it. There's something autumnal about the whole affair. As it os, in the Spring, it is still very good. Oh, and go Seattle!

Yeah, I'm a soft indie hipster.

Music for white people who attended UC Santa Cruz. I am this person. This isn’t really my jam, but it’s not as bad as some other stuff. Pretty good, actually.

I really don't like this but they are at least good musicians

It's fine? I just never understood the massive hype when it came out.

nothing really caught me of guard but I understood every song and it’s emotional purpose

Cool vibes, early Mumford and sons ish

If this album cover was from the seventies, this album would have been dope prog. Alas, it's from 2008, so it's lukewarm folk music instead. It's fine.

White winter hymnal always makes me think of when pretty in plaid (an all girls a cappella group at alma, Sam) did it at a Christmas concert. Specifically, Grace Sutherland. I wonder what she’s up to. Probably a wonderful mother to three strapping young dairy farmer boys. Anyway, I really don’t like indie at all

Some day my kid will ask me for some music from when Dad was a kid and from my perspective I couldn't do much worse than this. It's an immaculately produced album that perfectly captures that late 00s to early 10s folk sound that the kids stomped their feet and clapped their hands to. I imagine she'll look at me the same way I did at my Dad when I asked him the same question and wanted him to hand me Led Zeppelin or Aerosmith and instead received Dan Fogelberg and the Little River Band.

This is commercial folk. It's pretty, with lovely harmonies, but there is little substance in the instrumentation and each note is too perfectly placed. It's wannabe pastoral, the anthem of every millionaire family that opens a gentleman farm to connect with nature. It's inoffensive, and if you like it, that's fine, but not for me

Proper twee girls stuff but in the worst way.

Feels like the whole Girls soundtrack basically. A bit too wishy-washy for my taste.

Love itttt!

genero novedoso, que nunca habia escuchado, me sorprendio, es de un mood muy tranquilo el cual no tenia para escuchar y ahora me encanta.

Pas désagréable

nice sound, reminiscent of Simon and Garfunkel

Smooth and chill.. Enjoyable, but it doesn't quite scratch the itch if you're trying to really lock in.

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.

Enjoyable late night music

Don t like

Pretty cool indie/country/chill vibe but for a first listener (also not that invested in this genre) the songs sound very similar.

I did not think it was very interesting.

I have never thought about Fleet Foxes before this album, and I can say with the fullness of my heart that I won't think of them in the future either. This is another of those albums where it is just there not great not terrible just there.

Beautiful and dreamlike through out. Loved it.

It's good as background and calm music, but I don't remember anything from this album. So for me it's not really cool. Rate 5/10

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

A- Sun It Rises 3 White Winter Hymnal 5 Ragged Wood 4 Tiger Mountain Peasant Song 3 Quiet Houses 5 He Doesn't Know Why 3 Heard Them Stirring 5 Your Protector 4 Meadowlarks 4 Blue Ridge Mountains 5 Oliver James 3 I love Fleet Foxes but haven’t totally taken the deep dive into their discography, so I was happy to see this one come up. I’ve tried to listen before because White Winter Hymnal is THAT good, but never really cared for it. But giving it the thorough 1001AlbumsGenerator run through, I found some great tracks and a newfound appreciation for the group. They are definitely more than a few great songs.

Beautiful harmonies and lyrics, so nostalgic. They were some of the best of the folk rock revival. Found songs I had never heard/forgot about including Meadowlarks and White Winter Hymnal. Album sounds like it was composed by medieval bards and performed in a clearing in the woods by a barbershop quartet. Easy and enjoyable listen, also good length.

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.

Music for a funeral

your protector - fav song

Good stuff but honestly a bit too poppy for me.

This is so Seattle and stomp clap hey and coded but with a lot of reverb. 4/5

Test

Was ok

Way emo kinda boring.

Solid album, excellent production, beautiful harmonies.

not really my style. it sounds very likable: clear lyrics, basic instruments and relatable themes. but nothing strikes me. i enjoyed it but it’s just “any” album

Another alt album. Generally not a fan of alt. Low expectations. Sun it rises is interesting. Really well written. Alt rock as opposed to alt pop, I like tha much better. Guitar solo is really good. White winter hymnal is more poppy but I like this one too. Hozier/bastille vibes. Really catchy. Ragged woods is really cool too. I like how the songs are upbeat, usually alt is sad and grungy. Irony of this statement is that tiger mountain is definitely sadder. Back to fun music with quiet houses. Love the instrumental solo in the back half. He doesn’t know is really fun too. Great piano and drums. Love the opening harmonies on heard them stirring. Very soothing. I guess that was just the whole song. Interesting. Your protector is a banger. The vocals work really well with the background track. Well made song. Meadow larks was super emotional. Very well written. Emotional but not angsty and sad. Blue ridge mountains is back to fun. I like this one a lot. Don’t really know who/what Oliver James is about but I like it. It’s a good closer. This is one of the best alt albums I’ve heard so far. Just good calming music. 3.6 stars.

Liked the acoustic well enough but the vocals in this wore on me pretty quickly.

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

Like an old familiar friend

3- Stars (7/15)

I quite enjoyed the harmonies and the voices. Lyrics perhaps not so outstanding

While I grew up on this era of American folk rock, and have many artists I still listen to today, I had never really listened to Fleet Foxes before. I now know why. Boring, meandering, with not enough meat on the bone or interesting moments to be of any interest. If you want to get into this era of Mainstream folk rock, The Avett Brothers and The Decembrists. Are much better places to start. Highlights here is Blue Mountain Ridge, i.e. the only song I would choose to listen to again.

theres something about this i cant really put my finger on that gives so much more to it than just the music alone

A backwoods neo-Appalachian album with gorgeous, layered harmonies and a dusky nostalgia. "White Winter Hymnal" is an all time great but there are plenty of other gems like "Quiet Houses," "Your Protector" and "Blue Ridge Mountains." I love Robin Pecknold's voice and the way these songs are little snapshots of people and places from a different era. Kind of reminds me of another band, Midlake, and their earlier albums. Gorgeous, plaintive, and vivid folk rock at its finest.

Weird listening to this one on the Spring Equinox when it's such a quintessential autumn/winter record, but nice to hear again. Not crazy about every song, and I prefer their album Helplessness Blues overall, but this reaches some glorious heights on songs like White Winter Hymnal and Blue Ridge Mountains. Pecknold has a fantastic voice, and it's perfect for this variety of sorta woodsy nostalgic folk. At it's best, a very evocative record

Really enjoyable

Banger. De Istig is Album isch so magisch gsi.

Sehr entspannt be sunne ufem feld. 1-2 echt geili songs aber au paar wo mir zu cheesy sind

Good album that I've listened to before. It's a good Starbucks music.

Ahh this reminds me of university, no additional notes

I think I liked this

Bored by them then, bored by them now. White Winter Hymnal is an aberration though. In love with that one.

Really nice. Kinda shocked I haven’t listened to them before now. Think I was put off by their name…

Always liked this one.

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

Not my style but it was a decent listen. First time actually listening to alternative/indie rock and it's not that bad.

Almost like modern medieval folk music. Beautiful harmonies and arrangement. I wish there was a little more variety to it but overall fantastic.

A really good folk album some great songs that I could listen to again and again a few songs that arnt as good which stops me from giving 5 stars but still a good album

Had no idea what to expect but I like it. Picks up steam towards the middle, really enjoyed "Tiger Mountain -> Quiet Houses -> He Doesn't Know"

I didn't completly finish this one Its really good individually but it all starts to sound the same after a while. I'll def give it a relisten

Yllättävän mieluisa rehellisesti. Lowk paras albumi tähän mennessä (led zeppelin III saa haistaa vitut). Tuntuu et oon jollain hullulla roadtripil frendien kaa, semmone nostalginen fiilis. Paras biisi: White Winter Hymnal Arvosana: 3,8

Het op 1 na beste Fleet Foxes album. Pracht van een album.

Het op 2 na beste Fleet Foxes album. Pracht van een album.

Folk-Rock, Cool!

This album is deeply atmospheric, giving the listener a feeling of starring in their own Indie film.

Great background music, mellow & chill with rock undertones.

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.

ASS, I HATE THE BIRD GUY

The harmonies were beautiful. Very folky.

A perfect example of why appropriating something you don't really understand is a terrible idea. It's pretty revealing that the lead singer himself described this album's mood as “uninformed nostalgia” – yearning for a time that never existed (and has no business being idealized, as the Bruegel cover art illustrates). The music itself is a vapid stylistic exercise that feels completely artificial, with no soul or connection to anything truly folkloric or bucolic. As much as I dislike the 60s folk revival, they were at least still in touch with some kind of country / folk roots. But mid-2000s “indie folk” bands seem to just randomly slap together bits and pieces of stuff they find amusing, like a hipster ironically rummaging through a cheap thrift store. You can hear half a dozen influences through the album (from Gospels to the worst of Brian Wilson), but pretty much all of them are meaningless quotes. The end result feels like a copy of a copy, devoid of any true emotion. To make things worse, I found the vocal harmonies insufferable. Someone in the band clearly spent too much time in Glee Club... Hard pass for me, almost couldn't finish it. 2/10

This one came with glowing reviews, so I was expecting a bit of a gem. Instead I had to wait until the fourth track before hearing anything that felt like genuinely convincing songwriting. The lyrics are supposed to be inspired too… but I really don’t hear it. In the end only a handful of songs feel reasonably listenable to me. Pretty disappointing, especially since I was honestly hoping this might finally be the folk record that would win me over.

Well crafted, but too pretty and doesn’t go anywhere I’m interested in

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

If this were on the heels of my Sufjan 5 I may be more generous with my enjoyment, but after a PJ Harvey 5 I was hoping for some more edge. This album is about as edgy as a nap. A very dreamy, pretty nap. A dreamy, pretty nap with a bunch of guitar dudes.

Has a certain bland quality

not as good as Joni Mitchell’s Blue

I've been meaning to listen to this for years. I remember I was on a vinyl message board and someone mentioned being recommended this album but to avoid context, to just give it a listen. I may have peeked at the Wiki for the track list, play time, and genre, but otherwise I went in blind. It was immediately a beautiful listen. I'm not too eager with American folk, but this hits different. I was on my third listen when I realized the compositions were really dynamic, almost prog. It doesn't dwell on a pretty sound, it builds on them. The quality of the vocals and the lyrics just mesh so well with that musical aspect that it's hard for me to feel anything but appreciation for the effort. I was telling my coworkers that the album fits their renaissance-fair vibe without being too cheesy, without harps and fiddles, but with adequate emotion and style. I probably wouldn't listen to this too frequently, but I'd definitely give it an occasional spin when the mood calls for well composed modern-day-folk. I would've bought the record purely for its art, but now I'm aware the music is worth the purchase as well. I'm happy this turned up. 4.2/5

Charming combination of folk influences that occasionally crosses over to almost religious.

Very pleasant. It's quite possible I could even remember some of these songs if I'd listen to this album again, but I won't.

Beautiful album with a lot of feeling. The singers voice clicked for me really well.

(70/100)

Have to agree with some of the other reviews, feels a bit bland and preachy at times. I don't hate it but I don't love it - a few good songs.

ethereal vocal harmonies to calm you down on a stressful day. I really think this band is worth the hype, but just not 5 stars' worth

2 out of 5 I was going to give it 1 star only because this genre is not for me. Too slow and emotional. But then a few songs sounded pretty good and reminded me of Hozier.

I was expecting some weird hipster crap but this was actually really beautiful

Beautiful melodies, harmonies, instrumentation! My favourite was Quiet Houses!

A lot of it is a bit too twee for my tastes. Of other bands in this genre, I prefer the Decemberists. "Your Protector" is the peak of the album for me.

This is so much better than I expected. It does drop off towards the second half but man the opening few songs are stellar.

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

Like some songs I already knew.

I like it, but blends into the background too often.

it was ok. sounds like a bunch of other folkish type groups that came out at the same time like the Lumineers. nothing really stood out to me.

This was an interesting listen. I REALLY enjoy the reverb and effects on the vocals, felt very Genesis or Yes like. The first half kept my attention, then the second half put me to sleep. Wow was that repetitive. Album art alone gives it an extra half star.

I liked it. Not quite sure why. But I do. Pleasantly surprised

Not my Jam!!!

It's the kind of pretty indie music I'd wish they would turn down/off in a hip coffee shop.

It has a certain clear-eyed, majestic Sunday morning feel, what with the chiming harmonies and the echoey production on the lead vocals, as if he’s singing in a big room (maybe he was). Not to mention the earnestness of the lyrical themes, which convey a sense of awe at the splendor of the natural world. It occasionally skirts the edges of preciousness, but there is quality here.

Most albums, after the first song you've got a pretty good idea where they're going with the music on that album. Fleet Foxes here offer no surprises. Not that surprises are necessary or desired, but... I got bored. I had missed this album when it came out in the oughts, but now that I know, can't say I missed much.

A little twee for me but some lovely harmonies here.

Gut

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.

Nå hadde dem flaks. Ikke alltid man er i humør for slikt, men var jaggu det nå.

So this is a weird album for me. When I listen to it it reminds me enough of My Morning Jackets It Still Moves album that I think I enjoy Fleet Foxes. They both have the vocal ranges and recording method for vocals. I do enjoy My Morning Jacket. I don't enjoy Fleet Foxes. I think I want to but it's just not there for me. My wife said it's a good album for a rainy day where you don't do anything more than read and maybe the dishes.

Folk music is generally not my thing. That being said I’ve heard of ton of it because my friend loves it and we used to work together. Yes I would say is a better folk album that I have heard a while. I would recommend this.

Unique sound Some cool ideas on here and some standout tracks

this style of music is to folk what metal is to punk. it sounds kind of similar but it’s a bit baseless and the lyrics are nonsense. it’s fine but it lacks substance

When this was released in 2008, I was obsessed with it. It seemed to come out of nowhere and took a lot of very familiar sounds and packaged them in an interesting way. Nearly 20 years later, it's still quite enjoyable but doesn't hold the same power for me. A lot of the songs are just ok. There are a few real gems, Sun It Rises, White Winter Hymnal, Blue Ridge Mountains. The rest is fine. Of the 2010s pop folk revival acts, they were the best by far

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

Just such a great album. So concise in it's presentation and each song is so clearly from this project. My only gripe is it gets somewhat hard to differentiate some of the songs from one another.

I've listened to this album a hundred times before. It's chill and relaxing.

i love white winter hymnal, but none of the other songs were incredibly striking. i think this is an album i have to listen to more and more.

Pleasant, but like a lot of music from this era, absolutely unexciting. I’m old enough that most music from this era either passed me by or I may only be vaguely aware of. In this case I’ve heard the name of the band, but never knowingly listened to any of their music. And, well, meh. I didn’t even think about a second listen this morning.

5 songs in at time of writing (out of 11) and the overwhelming feeling is that of 'It's perfectly pleasant, but nothing stands out'. The current track, "Quiet Horses" has some lovely drums and guitar going on, with dreamy vocals bordering on Gregorian chants, but no part of it feels incredibly distinct. However, it does very much feel like one of those albums that, when you close your eyes in a dark room with only the sound of this playing, it will take you on a visual journey very much in the style of it's album cover. For that, it deserves credit alone. "Blue Ridge Mountains", if I had to pick, is my favourite track. The vocals, guitar and tambourine created a surprisingly beautiful harmony that I just couldn't shake.

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.

I hate the vocal self harmony thing he does... maybe its just me. It just sound stupid with his voice. It gets really tiring. This whole album is just not for me I suppose. I dont get the love for white winter hymnal. I thought it was so annoying. People are saying the lyrics are genius but hes just repeating the same mid lyrics 3 time. Most of it is really forgetable. Not the worst thing though. 2.8/5

Folks old country to me.

cleeres sans la magie

top top, est ce que les paysans medievaux auraient aimés??? oui

It's quite a nice indie rock album!

😟 It’s almost impressive... the way they make Bread sound like Rage Against the Machine.

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.

Wow, has it really been close to 20 years since this album came out? I remember, after having heard "White Winter Hymnal" (on the radio I guess, probably WXRT), and loving it, getting the CD from the library, and being somewhat disappointed in the album. I'm not sure why, exactly; possibly -- unfairly -- only because (after only listening once or twice) the other songs weren't as immediately great as WWH? And maybe a vague sense that the songs tended to sound kind of the same. I'm mean, no question, it's a great sound. But, I will say, listening to it again now (a couple of times), I liked the other 10 songs bit better than I remembered liking them/expected to like them. And, I think, I got more of a sense of variety, from song to song. So, maybe a little unfairly judged, the first time around. Anyway, now that I've listened to the whole album again (twice!), it's easier now to choose between a 3 and a 4, and give this album 4 stars, without hesitation. Curious to hear what you two have to say about it. One of the first albums we've listened to so far that's younger than you two.

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!

nice chill, a bit movie/background music but still very nice

Really ethereal and magical folk sound on this. I absolutely love the harmonies and vocal lines throughout are just so calming and mellow. While still having a lot of meaningful lyrics and beauty behind them, the songs overall just exude a sense of a forest-like atmosphere. Not every song was amazing but as a whole this album was great.

Middle of the road softness for the elderly

Fleet Foxes is a band I really like but I don't think they're very well known. This is not their best album in my opinion but it is very good. I think they're what I go for when I want some sad boy music but not in the style of like Radiohead or something. Sad chimes kind of music I guess.

It’s tempting to lump Fleet Foxes in the same box as The Lumineers of Mumford and Sons. Part of that “stomp clap” acoustic movement that took place in the 2010’s. But I think where Mumford tried to tap into an Obama era sense of millennial optimism, Fleet Foxes tapped into a sense of melancholy. It felt more real. Coupled with more interesting instrumentation and interesting vocals, I think more people should know about this band

I haven't heard this group before so it was nice to see what they are about. This is the kind of music you can have on in the back ground and grandma won't be offended (sorry about the metallica granny!). I kind of spaced out for a lot of it. It's the kind of music you listen to not listen to.

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

Love these guys!

It’s pretty good. A little slow for my taste but it’s good

Felt like the soundtrack to a Mary Oliver poem.

solid 3.5

just beautiful. i feel low today it’s raining outside and I’m just about to start therapy so I honestly feel like this was the perfect pick. soft and gentle but gorgeous vocally.

This is perfectly fine and technically very accomplished, even I can hear that. However, I think that "elevating" folk music in this way is actually reducing it significantly. Folk music is the music of the people, it should be possible for one or a handful of people to sing it in a pub, maybe with a guitar or fiddle or two. This feels passionless and cold. Myabe it would be a different experience hearing them live, but these clean, harmonious recordings lack fire and warmth for me. A quick PS: Hearing the end of the final song, Oliver James, really underscores this: A single, clear voice, singing perfectly... in what sounds like an empty, barren room, singing to no-one. This is the opposite of the atmosphere I want when I hear folk music.

There are much worse examples of this kind of music, at least.

Such an autumnal album and I hold a deep appreciation for autumn. Unfortunately not autumn right now so will have to revisit

Sounded like every other folk album. Harmonys mixed with boring guitar. Nothing unique.

Achei um álbum ok. Bem tocado, vocais legais... Só que soou esquecível. Tangzu Wan'er 2 Bass Editon.

A little too stripped down at times, but still love FF

folksy interesting

have been familiar with white winter hymnal since it is a song that i bonded with my 10th grade crush. the order this website is sending me are brutal. am i supposed to reminisce about my love life failures? anyways i forgot how good tiger mountain peasant song was. new fav would be he doesnt know why. ill update you on what the third album will be. is this a coincidence or a prophecy?

3/5

If this had made different decisions, made a few left turns, I’d have really enjoyed it. If it doubled down on the harmonies and the instrumentals, gave more CSN&Y, I’d have been on board. If it had been more stomp clappy like Mumford or The Lumineers I’d have enjoyed it. If it had more traditional folk like the great Irish folk bands or an edge like the punk folk bands I’d be so on board. If it were poppier with the same vibe, like Foals or Rogue Wave, it would be great. If the piano got more focus and this was more Supertrampy I’d love it. Hell, if the entire album sounded like the track “Your Protector” it’d probably be a four. Unfortunately it didn’t do any of those things and felt like at every turn it made the less interesting decision. Is it bad? Nah, not really. It’s just aggressively ok.

Not my thing

This album's fine. There are definitely some Beach Boys Pet Sounds vibes, mixed with CSNY and Simon & Garfunkel. Which should mean I'd absolutely love this. But to be honest, every song sounds quite similar and none of it jumps out. I don't hate the sound, it's just a little bland. I think I would've loved this in 2008. The cover is gorgeous though. 6/10

it's good. not great. that's their follow-up album, but this is good

I didn't like it when it came out. I still don't like it.

JUMPSCARED BY A BAND I ALREADY KNEW! yes of Course I like Fleet foxes. I've been listening to White Winter Hymnal and Blue Ridge Mountains on my own for like years. I also really liked Tiger Mountain Peasant Song and Meadowlarks--very solid album but I already knew that lol

3/5

Nice background music for woodworking or if you’re a soft handed beard grooming, cobbler shoe hipster.

Quite good album. Calming and folksy.

Commercial folk, who knew that could be a thing. I should hate this but never have, and was a nice blast from the past.

Haven't heard about this one so it was a really good surprise. I loved it, it was a good soundtrack while cooking lunch haha, but seriously, it gave me the impression I went in an adventure through the forest. Not sure if this could be catalogued as folk but it sounds like that in my mind. It gave me Hozier-like vibes but this is pre-Hozier so it's the OG (I guess). 10/10. Highly recommended.

Easy listening again Like a lot the instrumental Gf said it was a little depressing at the end lol

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

cute

Iconic indie folk album

Started off interesting 3 stars but was zoned out of it by the end.

I love that album; I hadn't listened to it in ages.

Not my jam whatsoever. I’ve tried to listen to them before but couldn’t enjoy. I was bored for the whole duration of this album and was relieved when I reached the last song my god. Lyrically I don’t like it, vocally nor production wise I cannot find appreciation sorry ://// this is a brutal review and I don’t even care

aight

Always wondered who is this kind of music for. People who enjoy getting around the fire on the beach and strumming the acoustic? Sensitive loners who find that every song ever speaks of their struggles, fears and anxious thoughts? Pretentious intellectuals who despise getting down on the dance floor because they're too up in their head to embarrass themselves while badly dancing or think they're above mashing around in the pit in the crowd on the concert? Well, I'm just a dumb rockeater, I suppose. This shit is B O R I N G.

I find this album extremely boring

A really amazing folk album. I love everything about the vibes and the chills that this album gave me. For sure going to revisit

Indie folk with a heavy tinge of gospel. This album has a very familiar sound, a combination of My Morning Jacket and Band of Horses. There are some great changes and I love the soft loud ebb and flow of the album. There was one song that I didn't care for but with 11 songs at 39 minutes this was basically a no skip album. I also love the album cover, beautiful classic art with some really weird stuff happening when you look closely!

Nokså fint å høre på, merker at Comet Kid er inspirert av Fleet Foxes. Minus for White Winter Hymonal som Pentatonix har kopiert. Her ødelegger Pentatonix for Fleet Foxes med sin horible acapella.

Good modern take on folk rock. Nice instrumentation and vocals, pretty solid stuff. There were some songs that kinda dragged on for me but overall pretty good stuff

So bissi Country Gejaule irgendwie Idk xD

Glad to listen to this again, an old favourite

The harmonies throughout the album are so satisfying to listen to. Overall a great album, not sure if this is folk or indie or whatever genre, but it sure is lovely and easy to listen to. White Winter Hymnal is phenomenal.

Oh, the harmonies. And the White Winter Hymnal, of course, is astounding. I like the album cover as well.

a person can listen to this, I guess.

This one really made an impact on me when it came out, but I suppose at any given time there’s some sort of Folk Revival going on, sweeping up young men who are convincing themselves they are getting old. At times I like the way this is produced. It’s got its moments throughout. Mostly just a relic though.

I can get behind some folk, but this one just didn't resonate with me much beyond the opening track, which gave me goosebumps.

Stomp Clap is to millennials what the Swing Renaissance was to us GenXers. It's embarrassing and does not age well at all. That said, I did like Fleet Foxes as an early iteration of this genre. The harmonies are undeniably good and ethereal

3/10

Más folk rock. Misma cagada, diferente color. Cuando escucho esto, solo me puedo imaginar a un bastardo vegano que se cree un elfo mágico, habla con duendes de plástico y tiene hadas en frascos. Lo odio.

8/10 Best songs: Sun It Rises, White Winter Hymnal, Your Protector Someone in another review states it quite nicely: "mainstream Appalachian affectation." The album is choral folk music - lots of vocal harmonies, country influence, sounds like it could be played by a group of camp counselors around the campfire. That's not to say that I don't like this album - because I do, it's great. I never listened to Fleet Foxes at the time, despite being very into indie music, but they've stood the test of time.

Peaceful

Indie Me gusta

really sweet sounding album, not my genre but it was good background music

me lembro um pouco The Lumineers

they know what they’re doing but too folky for me

Chill, choral folk music that sounds like it was made in a government lab.

generally speaking i am put off by music that sounds like it takes place by a campfire, within earshot of a log cabin, or in or around a mountain. for some reason this is good shit though. maybe i dont get enough folk exposure so this mainstream appalachian affectation feels authentic to me? i think the album is missing some kind of wow factor or big standout moments for me to really adore it but as is it's a consistent and special vibe for mostly the whole runtime. I've heard Blue Ridge Mountains a hundred times and it's still great but He Doesn't Know Why was surprisingly lovely

Rating: 7/10 I think Fleet Foxes’ following two albums, Helplessness Blues and Crack-Up, are modern folk masterpieces, but as it stands their debut is definitely the best introduction to the band as their least complex, most familiar and straightforward, and ushers in the indie folk sound of the era that many lesser bands would follow. Really good debut effort that’s always good to return to.

Awesome album. I thought it would be a situation where the hits are amazing but the rest of the album mushes into the same samey thing, but nah this whole thing was actually great and distinct. Blue Ridge Mountains great song 8.6/10

Solid

I really enjoyed this one. Hauntingly beautiful, poignant, and reflective for me.

So soothing! But doesn’t move me to the core.

It was good.

muy cuquito, disco para escuchar con una chimenea delante y una mantita para protegerte del frío. además, investigar sobre este disco me ha traído cotilleo de father john misty así que estupendo

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.

Not bad. Like the voice. 3,3

Excelente

Pretty chill

For some reason, I've always confused this band with The War On Drugs, even though musically they have virtually no connection. Probably because I just find both bands boring. Here's their self-titled debut album, which journalists raved about — and there you have it, an 87 on Metacritic is no joke. It's less than forty minutes long, but those forty minutes felt like over an hour to me. Perhaps it's because all the songs follow the same pattern — acoustic guitar, bass drum, and drawn-out, church-like chants. The cover art also conveys this mood; listening to it makes you feel like a lumberjack living in the 16th century. Mumford & Sons, if they were dull, basically. It's probably a decent release, just not my thing.

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.

Love the beginning of the second song

meh

I kind of liked this. The production is beautiful. However, after a while the twee vocal delivery began to lend a sameness to the album that probably means I don't return. A bit 'Christmas background' in places too. Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ❌️ Twee ★★★☆☆ (6/10) Total reviewed : 228 Already owned : 52 Purchased : 12 To buy list : 2 Nope : 162

I'll search for comprehensive information about Fleet Foxes' self-titled debut album to provide you with an in-depth review covering all the aspects you mentioned. Now let me search for more specific information about the album's critical reception, production details, and musical analysis to give you a comprehensive review. Now I have gathered comprehensive information about Fleet Foxes' self-titled debut album. Let me provide you with an in-depth review covering all the aspects you requested. --- # **Fleet Foxes** (2008) — In-Depth Album Review ## Overview Released on June 3, 2008, **Fleet Foxes** is the self-titled debut studio album by the Seattle-based indie folk band. The album emerged from the Pacific Northwest music scene and quickly became a defining statement of the late-2000s indie folk revival. Recorded primarily in band members' homes and basement spaces with producer **Phil Ek** (known for his work with Built to Spill and The Shins), the album represents a remarkable achievement in DIY production values meeting ambitious artistic vision. --- ## **Music & Arrangement** ### Harmonic Architecture The most immediately striking element of *Fleet Foxes* is its **vocal harmony arrangements**, which draw heavily from **Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys'** layered approach, as well as **Crosby, Stills & Nash** . Frontman **Robin Pecknold** developed his harmonic proficiency by obsessively studying Beach Boys box sets and outtakes, practicing stacking harmonies for hours on his four-track recorder as a teenager . This technical dedication manifests in the album's cathedral-like vocal textures. The arrangements are **complex and unconventional**—songs often shift through multiple movements and time signature changes rather than following standard verse-chorus structures . Tracks like "Sun It Rises" and "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song" demonstrate sophisticated fingerpicking patterns and modal tunings that create an **ancient, almost medieval quality** while remaining accessible . ### Instrumentation The album features a rich acoustic palette: **12-string and 6-string acoustic guitars, mandolin, pump organ, keyboards, and sparse but effective percussion**. The band placed guitar amplifiers in Native American tipis for aesthetic purposes during recording , signaling their commitment to creating a specific atmospheric world. The instrumentation serves the songs' pastoral themes without ever feeling merely decorative. --- ## **Production** ### The Phil Ek Factor Producer **Phil Ek** played a crucial role in shaping the album's sound. Having first met Pecknold when the singer was just 16, Ek helped the band record early demos and used his industry connections to shop them to labels . The album was recorded over the course of a year in various domestic spaces—Pecknold's parents' basement, keyboardist Casey Wescott's living room—before Ek mixed the results . Ek's production philosophy emphasized **natural sounds captured through judicious microphone positioning rather than heavy EQ or compression** . The album is drenched in **EMT plate reverb**, creating the cavernous, cathedral-like ambience that became the band's signature . However, Ek later admitted that some tracks on the debut had "a little bit too much reverb," which sometimes clouded Pecknold's voice rather than enhancing it . ### Recording Context The album was entirely **self-funded** before label involvement, with band members recording between shifts at their day jobs . Pecknold suffered from illness during the sessions, which affected some vocal takes, and he continued rewriting and rearranging songs up until the final mixing session—completing the album at one point, then entirely revising and re-recording it . This perfectionism resulted in a remarkably cohesive final product. --- ## **Lyrics & Themes** ### Pastoral Romanticism Robin Pecknold's lyrics on *Fleet Foxes* are characterized by **a yearning for a long-vanished, perhaps entirely fictional pastoral way of life** . Nature functions as a unifying character throughout—mountains, rivers, seasons, and rural landscapes serve as both setting and emotional metaphor. The lyrics have **"the look and feel of mid-century American poems—direct, conversational, and flecked with an emotional urgency verging on the surreal"** . There's an inwardness to the songs, but also an awareness of others and a fear of navel-gazing. The speakers are wary of being perceived as putting on airs . ### Key Themes - **Transience and mortality**: Lines like "Young today, old as a railroad tomorrow / Days are just drops in the river to be lost always" (from the *Sun Giant* EP, which shares this album's sensibility) capture the Pecknoldian obsession with time's passage - **Isolation and memory**: Many songs hinge on the realization that the speaker is alone and the past is a place to which he can never return - **Nature as sanctuary**: The album offers "a hot bath for the brain" with limited mention of modern technological life, serving as an escape from contemporary anxieties ### Lyrical Highlights - **"White Winter Hymnal"**: A circular, winter-themed song with vivid imagery of blood on snow and turning seasons - **"Tiger Mountain Peasant Song"**: Narrative-driven lyrics with a mysterious, almost mythic quality - **"Oliver James"**: A haunting closer that references earlier songs in the album, ending with just vocals that "leave the listener in awe" --- ## **Influence & Legacy** ### Impact on Indie Folk *Fleet Foxes* is widely credited as **"a true introduction to the indie-folk genre"** and a "definitive statement in the burgeoning indie folk scene" . Released from Seattle, it helped establish the Pacific Northwest as a center for this sound alongside artists like **The Decemberists, Iron & Wine, and Sufjan Stevens** . The album's success—receiving **"universal acclaim" with an 87/100 Metacritic score** —paved the way for the mainstream breakthrough of similar artists like **Mumford & Sons, The Lumineers, and Bon Iver** in the following years . ### Critical Recognition - **The Guardian** described it as "a landmark in American music, an instant classic" - **Mojo** awarded it the seldom-given "Instant Classic" label - Ranked on multiple "best of the 2000s" and "greatest debut albums" lists - **Uncut** magazine awarded it their inaugural Uncut Award for "the most rewarding album of the past 12 months" ### Artistic Influence The album's visual aesthetic—using a section of **Pieter Bruegel the Elder's 1559 painting *The Netherlandish Proverbs*** as cover art—established a template for merging fine art with indie music packaging . The painting's depiction of peasant life with hidden proverbial meanings mirrors the album's layered lyrical approach . --- ## **Pros** ✅ **Harmonic Innovation**: The vocal arrangements are genuinely breathtaking, representing some of the most sophisticated harmonies in modern folk music ✅ **Production Atmosphere**: The cavernous, natural reverb creates an immersive world that feels both ancient and immediate ✅ **Cohesion**: Despite complex arrangements and multiple recording locations, the album maintains remarkable thematic and sonic unity ✅ **Songcraft**: Tracks like "White Winter Hymnal," "Ragged Wood," and "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song" have become modern folk standards ✅ **Emotional Resonance**: The lyrics balance abstract imagery with genuine emotional urgency, creating songs that reveal new layers over repeated listens ✅ **DIY Achievement**: The self-funded, home-recorded nature of the album makes its polish and ambition even more impressive ✅ **Gateway Quality**: The album serves as an accessible entry point to deeper folk traditions while remaining contemporary --- ## **Cons** ❌ **Vocal Reverb Overuse**: As Phil Ek himself noted, some tracks suffer from excessive reverb that occasionally obscures Pecknold's voice and lyrical clarity ❌ **Lyrical Opacity**: While poetic, the abstract nature of many lyrics can make emotional connection challenging—"you never quite find the same thing" when returning to songs, which can be disorienting ❌ **Repetitive Textures**: Some listeners find the album's consistent mid-tempo, acoustic-heavy arrangements cause songs to "blend together" after extended listening ❌ **Lack of Variety**: The album largely operates within a single emotional register—pastoral, contemplative, harmonious—which may feel monochromatic to some ❌ **Preciousness**: Critics have noted the album can feel "inauthentic and plastic" to some listeners—"folk music for people from the suburbs that want to cosplay as working class" ❌ **Limited Dynamic Range**: The constant beauty and harmonic richness can paradoxically become exhausting; there's little rawness or ugliness to provide contrast ❌ **Accessibility vs. Depth**: While immediately beautiful, some argue the album prioritizes surface-level aesthetic pleasure over deeper conceptual or experimental ambitions (something later albums would address) --- ## **Conclusion** *Fleet Foxes* (2008) stands as **one of the most accomplished debut albums of the 21st century**, a work that revitalized harmonic folk music for a generation. Its synthesis of Beach Boys-inspired vocal arrangements, pastoral lyricism, and Pacific Northwest indie rock sensibility created a template that influenced countless artists throughout the 2010s. The album's strengths—its **breathtaking harmonies, immersive production, and cohesive vision**—far outweigh its weaknesses, though its **uniform prettiness and occasional over-reliance on reverb** can limit its emotional range. It functions best as a complete experience, a "comfort album" that offers refuge from modern chaos through its constructed world of natural beauty and harmonic richness. While later Fleet Foxes albums (*Helplessness Blues*, *Crack-Up*, *Shore*) would expand the band's sonic and thematic ambitions, the debut remains their **purest statement**—a perfectly realized vision of indie folk that sounds as fresh today as it did upon release. It earns its place in the canon of essential 2000s albums not through innovation alone, but through the **sheer quality of its execution** and the **emotional world it creates**. **Overall Rating**: 8.5/10 — A modern classic with minor flaws that don't diminish its achievement.

Офигеть.. этот альбом мне прям подошел по настроению. Одновременно акустика и гармонии. Спокойствие без криков и всё такое. Без барабанов агрессивных , зато там был тамбурин офигеть

A little slow but lead to some vibing jams. 4 stars

Chad Foxes Insane run of first 6 songs

i liked the softness of this album -- reminded me of the song "fairy in a bottle" by jacob alon

meh

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.

It sounded kinda nice/okay

Soothing folk music is always nice to have on in the background and this is a great example of that. I don't get to deep in to the music or lyrics, its just nice to have something playing while reading or cooking and this fits that niche nicely.