I'm starting with my current obsession (as well as the band that's gotten pitchfork.com's winkies all hard): The Fleet Foxes
First, I have to say... I found them at Starbucks. Yes, shameful as it may be, I was ordering a mocha frap with a shot of magic the day that I spotted their album at the counter. I admit I was skeptical, because the last album I'd seen in that particular store was of Jakub Dyaln, whose music can best be described as the lovechild of Jack Johnson and John Meyer. For lack of a better word, he's bad. Really, really bad ("Something Good This Way Comes"? Seriously?). Anyway, I digress; The Fleet Foxes caught my eye for two reasons:
a) The cover art
It's beautiful and unsusual... but that doesn't necessarily make it good.
b) The little red sticker on the front that said something like "10/10 from pitchfork.com!"
That threw me off- Pitchfork actually thought someone was good? Someone sold at Starbucks? Good?
Wrong.
More than good.
Magnificent.
You ever hear a song so amazingly orchestrated and sung that it makes you cry? I have. Try track ten of their self-titled album on for size. "Blue Ridge Mountains" remains my favourite song of the year (take note that I have only ever been this moved by a song before when listening to The White Album for the first time), and the Fleet Foxes my favourite band.
Their harmonies (an aspect of music that I personally adore) are flawless, creative, and beautiful. Each song has the feeling of being its own work of art, and only after obsessively listening to each can I say that I know every aspect of them (even now, there's a good chance I don't). The music itself is- for lack of a better word- epic. The songs are dramatic, but I consider that a good thing, unlike many others in the business of professional criticism.
Also, I really dig the lead singer's beard.
No comments:
Post a Comment