Fleet Foxes: s/t

Label: Sub Pop

There’s something inherently compelling about a chorus of voices joined in song. Seattle’s Fleet Foxes join that sensibility—virtually everyone in the band lends a sizeable vocal contribution here—with a penchant for pop hooks (at times) and void-spanning textures (at others). While Robin Pecknold’s voice is a close cousin to those of Jim James and Ben Bridwell, the songs heard on their self-titled album head into a more self-consciously pastoral (note the titles “Ragged Wood” and “Blue Ridge Mountains”) direction. And yet for all the massed harmonies and fervent instrumentation heard here, the group’s command of dynamics is subtle but definitely present. Note the drums that advance “Ragged Wood”, or the slow, steady progression heard in “Your Protector”. Fleet Foxes borrow from the folk traditions of two continents and the songcraft of two coasts, and the result is a constantly shifting, richly adorned work. (Toby)