The blogosphere is abuzz with praise for Fleet Foxes, a Seattle-based quintet that sounds like a barbershop quartet and a choir joined forces to start a folk band. But fear not readers! Arv has not fallen behind the curve and, as far as I understand, I am still "with it" and ready to bring "it" to "you."I first heard Fleet Foxes when a commercial for La Blogotheque featuring their song "White Winter Hymnal" aired on Current. La Blogotheque is a new show on Current which centers on what they call "Take Away Shows"--largely improvised, one-take recordings of bands performing in public spaces. They're really quite something. Yacki, who failed to initially enjoy Fleet Foxes, did so after watching a video of them performing in an empty gymnasium.
Listening through the rest of Fleet Foxes' offerings, I came up a little short of my expectations. "White Winter Hymnal" is probably their best song and listening to it first pales everything in comparison. It brings together their unique vocal style with beautifully poetic lyrics and music that is simultaneously powerful and subtle. "He Doesn't Know Why" has the same strengths, but lacks the impact. Both have strangely wonderful accompanying music videos.
Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal (mp3)
Fleet Foxes - He Doesn't Know Why (mp3)
current seems to be very good at this (and basically nothing else). I wasn't feeling Portishead's Third when I first listened to the advance, but watching a studio recording that was at that moment exclusive to current made everything fall into its beautiful place.
ReplyDeleteAlways the Negative Natasha. Current does a lot of worthwhile stuff. I think their shows Vanguard and Infomania are pretty damn good. Also, almost all the rest of their programming is produced by viewers, which I imagine would make it difficult to make sweeping generalizations about Current's content, being that it all comes from such varied sources. Some of the stuff is shit. Some of it is amazing. Depends who made it.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen the Portishead clip, but I shall look into it. Hopefully it's still on their website.
They look mormon... I disapprove.
ReplyDeleteYacki thinks a couple of them look like Jesus, which I believe is also a minus in her book. But whatever to you two; I'm feeling it.
ReplyDeleteI'm in a library right now and sadly can't sample their sounds, but they do look folksy. Not that that's always a bad thing. I will repost when the time is right with my patented Malahoff Scale Score.
ReplyDeleteyou should call it "MalaScoff"
ReplyDeleteHahaha. "MalaScoff." Totally.
ReplyDeleteHow is the Malascoff scoring system set up?
ReplyDeleteYou should post about that.
With kitttttens.
ReplyDeletefleet foxes on snl next week..
ReplyDelete