Album Review - Fleet Foxes

Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes
[Sub Pop; 03/06/2008]

After the release of their Sun Giant EP earlier in the year, it seems the indie world went into an upward spiral for more sounds from Seattle outfit, Fleet Foxes. In the name of Internet leaks, the indie public's wishes were granted, with the band's self-titled debut album shortly following in “digital format” onto various music blogs for all to enjoy and seemingly wank over.

Fleet Foxes have been branded as the best thing since sliced bread and it's quite apparent, with their sound the equivalent to the summer sunshine. Unlike some bands who get crucified for pilfering sound templates from others, the Fleet Foxes seem to gain praise for it. Some are comparing their sound to the Animal Collective making pop music, but in my opinion this is quite a stretch off the mark.

If anything, it seems as though frontman Robin Pickenhold has sedated My Morning Jacket's Jim James and extracted his vocal chords from his throat with a scalpel. Yes, it's a more conventional sound than his American brother's, however it seems as though the market for these bands is becoming quite congested due to these types of scenarios occurring on a regular basis.

Yes, Fleet Foxes could have done a lot worse with their self-titled debut and despite the praise this album will receive from the masses, there's no escaping the fact that this is rehashed from their modern contemporaries, albeit delivered with a sweeter pop sensibility. The majority of music listeners will be swayed by critics' reaction to this album. Sorry, but I'm not one of them.

By Simon K