23 Apr 11
Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues (2011), highly recommended. Seems to get labelled as 'indie folk'. I reckon 'progressive folk' and 'alt.country' and 'americana' would fit too. Gentle, eclectic, intimate, sometimes hypnotic stuff. I'd mention the following bands in the same breath - Akron/Family, Califone, Brian Campeau, Circulus, The Last Dinosaur, The Witch And The Robot etc.
02 May 11
Originally posted by FMFlike ths stuff before this one
Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues (2011), highly recommended. Seems to get labelled as 'indie folk'. I reckon 'progressive folk' and 'alt.country' and 'americana' would fit too. Gentle, eclectic, intimate, sometimes hypnotic stuff. I'd mention the following bands in the same breath - Akron/Family, Califone, Brian Campeau, Circulus, The Last Dinosaur, The Witch And The Robot etc.
04 May 11
Originally posted by FMFI had completely forgotten. I will report back with my thoughts.
Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues (2011), highly recommended. Seems to get labelled as 'indie folk'. I reckon 'progressive folk' and 'alt.country' and 'americana' would fit too. Gentle, eclectic, intimate, sometimes hypnotic stuff. I'd mention the following bands in the same breath - Akron/Family, Califone, Brian Campeau, Circulus, The Last Dinosaur, The Witch And The Robot etc.
Have you heard the new Low album yet?
05 May 11
Helplessness is great, but I don't think it's as good as the first one. Mind I've only played it a few times. The new Low Anthem one is also not as good as their previous -Charlie Darwin - doesn't have enough of their livelier side. How about the Rural Alberta Advantage? 'Departing' is a belter.
06 May 11
Originally posted by DrKFIt has grown on me. The track list draws you in, with a kind of moderately cheery major key start with Try To Sleep and You See Everything. It then starts to wander into slightly more haunting and soaring areas. Done > Especially Me > $20 > Majesty/Magic is all trademark Low with that odd fusion of muted swagger and swelling fragility swept along with those poignant harmonies. Nightingale is beautiful. I'd probably have ended the album with Nothing But Heart. I'd have fleshed out the album a tad, maybe, by extending the guitar solo on Witches - Mark Kozelek/Neil Young style. All in all enjoyable although there are maybe 4 or 5 other Low albums I prefer.
Have you heard the new Low album yet?
06 May 11
Originally posted by FMFIndeed. It's certainly their most commercial/radio-friendly, and seems to have touches from throughout their career - but with a bit more confidence, perhaps? Mimi Parker's voice will always work for me - tracks like Especially Me (which would have been amazing even without the fantastic swell at the end). Ultimately not as good as some earlier stuff, which it kind of summarises, but very promising for their continuing and growing.
It has grown on me. The track list draws you in, with a kind of moderately cheery major key start with Try To Sleep and You See Everything. It then starts to wander into slightly more haunting and soaring areas. Done > Especially Me > $20 > Majesty/Magic is all trademark Low with that odd fusion of muted swagger and swelling fragility swept along with those poig ...[text shortened]... l Young style. All in all enjoyable although there are maybe 4 or 5 other Low albums I prefer.
I'll be seeing them live in ten days or so! Recently saw Mogwai (again) and Iron and Wine; both were amazing, but I still have high hopes for Low...