Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes (2008)

I've heard many times the claim from slightly older people who have dedicated their lives to music that everything has already been done and nothing new can be made in music anymore. Getting older myself, I start to see this point. Pretty much all the music nowadays sounds a bit retro. Then again, I feel like this has probably always been the case. Younger people just don't have the experience yet of having listened to all of those old genres. Then again, something did change in the 00s. This was time when albums began being released that were so blatantly retro that they seemed like an intentional attempt to go back in time. At first thought, this might sound like a very negative thing, but I actually think this has many positive sides to it as well. When bands don't have to think about what's fashionable right now, they will focus on just making music that they really like, which usually is a much better approach. 
Fleet Foxes' debut album sounds absolutely timeless. It draws clear influences from traditional Americana folk, the folk revolution of 60s and 70s and at the same time it was at the forefront of the indie folk revolution of the late 00s along with bands like Iron & Wine, Mumford & Sons and Midlake. The album sounds like they're attempting to capture the sounds of old folk, but they're doing it by embracing modern studio techniques and very clean production. 

This album sounds absolutely phenomenal. I think it's hands-down one of the best albums of the 00s. For a band to find this kind of sound on their debut album is quite astonishing. The classical painting as the album cover makes the album even more special. It makes it very memorable. The album has a sound that runs through the album, which makes it a proper album instead of a collection of songs, but there is still enough variety between different songs. 

The album starts with the song Sun It Rises, which begins with old-style folk a cappella singing that soon is replaced by absolutely beautiful acoustic guitar picking and otherworldly clean vocals powered up by harmonies. Then the banjo comes in and my skin gets goosebumps. You don't even really notice the electric guitar when it pierces through the acoustic soundscape as it fits in so seamlessly. White Winter Hymnal is one of the most well-known songs from the band and no wonder as the composition is really catchy with its amazing canon loops. The distant drum sound brings the intimate vocals even closer to the listener. Ragged Wood sounds as fresh as a woodland stream. There's a nice fast rolling rhythm to the song that makes it perfect driving music. Tiger Mountain Peasant Song has some medieval tones that remind me of fairy tales and times of old. The vocal melody is very unique while being somehow familiar. Quiet Houses has a bit more modern sound in its instrumentation, but the vocal harmonies still maintain the old-timey feel. He Doesn't Know Why has a wavy rhythm that in places reminds me of progressive rock of the 70s, but it still sounds very natural. Heard Them Stirring has beautiful echoey vocals in the forefront while the background is subtly constructed from drum sounds, quiet acoustic guitars and banjos so full of reverb that they almost sound like another instrument. Your Protector brings out the flute, which has mostly been forgotten as a pop/rock instrument since the 70s. I think flute is a fantastic pop/rock instrument as long as you know how to use it so it doesn't become too cheesy. Here it is absolutely magical. Meadowlarks is a very quiet song that calms things down between songs busy with instruments. The relaxed acoustic guitar gives more space to the vocals. Blue Ridge Mountains is my favourite song on the album. The melancholic tunes with amazing instrumentation gives so much power to the amazing vocals. Emergence of piano gives this song a slightly different sound to the rest of the album. The album ends with a calm acoustic song Oliver James. It brings the sounds back to basics, to how it started.

I don't know if I've ever seen Fleet Foxes music videos before. This has been a bad oversight as based on this first one, they're fantastic. The music video for White Winter Hymnal shows the band in clay animation playing in the woods. One of the band members is turning a crank that turns the night sky around and in the end he lets go and all the stars go wildly round and round.

I saw Fleet Foxes live a few years ago here in Brixton. I felt like it was probably way too late to see them live as I hadn't liked their later albums as much, but the gig was still a magical experience. This band really is a master in using interesting instruments in their songs and it was phenomenal to see all of that live. Even the songs that might sound a bit more boring on the album sounded great live. Then again, the songs from this debut album were in their own category.

I have been a bit disappointed with anything Fleet Foxes has released since this debut album of theirs. There are some good moments on those later albums as well but they fail to catch the magic of this first album. I hope this album will keep finding new listeners throughout the years, because it is timeless and  a true masterpiece.

Listen to the album on Spotify.