The pastoral beauty and grace of Fleet Foxes’ debut album hasn’t diminished in the 3 years since its release. The warm vocal harmonies and unpretentious sentimentalism struck a chord with even the most cynical listeners. It was a feat considering that the lush, acoustic melodies of Fleet Foxes were mostly being forgotten in a year beset by rising electronic/dance acts with a habit of deconstructing pop convention. And it took a band so intimately familiar with those same conventions to help bring it back into focus.
With their initial offering of the Sun Giant EP and the quick follow-up LP, Fleet Foxes carved out a wide swath to traverse—no other artist was within arm’s length. There hadn’t been a band who had managed to create such a welcoming and communal introduction to a sound as Fleet Foxes did. After the dust had settled and their self-titled sat high on most of the best-of-2008 lists, fans were already clamoring for more from them. And for most, it couldn’t get here soon enough. But in this age of digital consumption, the band bucked convention and took a full 3 years to produce a follow-up, which frustrated and intrigued fans who were used to a band releasing an album practically every year. Fans were wondering if the wait was worth it, or if the band had missed its peak and released an album of over-produced, uninvolving songs. The answer was as definitive as it was immediate.
Helplessness Blues takes the delicate acousticism and enveloping harmonies of their debut and places them in a slightly darker, more mature framework. The overt sunniness of their self-titled record has been replaced with a guarded optimism. Pecknold still sings as if he’s conversing with friends around a campfire but there is a slight hesitation that comes across, almost as if he isn't sure whom he can trust. There is a measure of self-doubt that creeps into these songs are he sees himself growing older and not being able to see the results of his lifes work. "Montezuma" tackles these issues head-on in a forthright and honest manner, though no less affecting for its simplicity. And "The Shrine/An Argument" paints a decidedly resigned view of a failing relationship, struggling until the strain is too much and it collapses underneath the emotional weight of both people. But in the end, Pecknold wants the ideal; he wants the beauty and ease that should come from just living. And on “Helplessness Blues” he does his best to reconcile the idea of the world he hopes for and the one he finds himself in. It’s a heady ending to an album already bursting with densely unfolding ideas about our place in our own lives. With this album, Fleet Foxes have overcome the pitfalls inherent to following up a critical acclaimed album and managed to translate something emotionally ethereal into something meaningful for the listener. And really, when we listen to music, isn’t that what we want?
Tracklisting:
01. Montezuma
02. Bedouin Dress
03. Sim Sala Bim
04. Battery Kinzie
05. The Plains / Bitter Dancer
06. Helplessness Blues (listen to the mp3 below)
07. The Cascades
08. Lorelai
09. Someone You’d Admire
10. The Shrine / An Argument
11. Blue spotted Tail
12. Grown Ocean
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