another very tasty cheese sandwich of an album
another very tasty cheese sandwich of an album
It feels almost churlish to criticize Fleet Foxes because the music they create is absolutely beautiful. I’m sure you’ve read elsewhere about their angelic harmonies and good, honest, down-to-Earth values. It’s all true. They are exceptional at what they do and when I first saw them perform live they took my breath away. They really are a powerful, encapsulating live act but here’s the thing! When I’m at home, pottering around the house dusting the furniture, I tire of them very quickly. Don’t get me wrong, I still think their debut album is an incredible piece of work. I’ll probably listen to White Winter Hymnal on a regular basis for years to come but I’m afraid that I can not listen to that album from start to finish any longer and I fear that the same fate may befall Helplessness Blues.
It’s not their fault, I know. Helplessness Blues is a beautiful piece of work. Another ‘classic’ in the making. It’s the kind of album that journalists will do backflips over because it’s incredibly crafted, immaculately sung and intricately arranged and performed. It is beautiful. Hauntingly, stunningly beautiful and oh so bloody nice that I’ll probably get fed up of it in a few months and it’ll sit on the shelf until the next time I get the chance to see them live again. But hey, you don’t need me to tell you what it’s like, it’s going to sell bucketloads – and it deserves to – but it’s a bit too nice all round for my liking.
Essentially, they have produced another very tasty cheese sandwich of an album. Perfect for a picnic, incredibly tasty and totally unmemorable. Still, I can’t help but admire them and when I get the chance to see these fabulous furry Fleet Foxes in a field again later this summer I could well fall in love with them all over again.
I’m funny like that.