| Fleet Foxes / Helplessness Blues |
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| Album: | Helplessness Blues | Collection: | General | |
| Artist: | Fleet Foxes | Added: | 06/2011 | |
| Label: | Sub Pop Records | |||
| A-File Activity |
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| Add Date: | 2011-08-21 | Pull Date: | 2011-10-23 |
| Week Ending: | 23 Oct | 16 Oct | 9 Oct | 2 Oct | 25 Sep | 18 Sep | 11 Sep | 4 Sep |
| Airplays: | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
Recent Airplay
| 1. | Jun 03, 2022: | KZSU Time Traveler Helplessness Blues | 4. | Dec 09, 2021: | Wee Animalcules (rebroadcast from Sep 9, 2011) Battery Kinzie | |
| 2. | Mar 18, 2022: | KZSU Time Traveler Battery Kinzie | 5. | Dec 06, 2021: | Wee Animalcules (rebroadcast from Sep 9, 2011) Battery Kinzie | |
| 3. | Dec 27, 2021: | Wee Animalcules (rebroadcast from Sep 9, 2011) Battery Kinzie | 6. | Oct 08, 2021: | KZSU Time Traveler Helplessness Blues |
| Album Review |
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| Francis D Reviewed 2011-08-10 | ||
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“Helplessness Blues” Fleet Foxes What is Fleet Foxes? Crosby, Stills & Nash? Simon & Garfunkel? Seals & Crofts? America? The Seattle band is all of these groups and none of them. “Helplessness Blues” is Fleet Foxes’ 2nd full-length LP, an extraordinary follow-up to its 2008 debut, “Fleet Foxes.” The CD can be classified as folk-rock or baroque pop, but it’s so much more than its genre. And while it draws on its musical lineage, the LP is very much a unique work for today. Musically, it ranges from the psychedelic folk of the 1960s to classical guitar, from an achingly personal singer-songwriter composition to almost church-like hymns. The Foxes’ trademark harmonies soar throughout, and Robin Pecknold’s intricate, often highly introspective lyrics examine some of the many questions of existence. The result is a richly rewarding experience that’s not to be missed. It may well be one of 2011’s finest. — Francis Recommended: 6, 1, 12, 4,11, 5 No FCCs detected. 1. (3:37) Beautiful, soaring folk ballad. Wistful, with rich harmonies. Rapid guitar picking underneath keeps the tune moving forward. **** 2. (4:30) Bouncy folk, full of rhythm, piano and guitar interplay. Catchy. 3. (3:14) Lots of musical changes throughout — soft to loud, a cappella vocals to rich harmonies. Distinctive guitar picking. 4. (2:49) Galloping tune, with thumping drums. About unrequited love and wasted time. *** 5. (5:54) Sounds like a musical round, with call-and-response, almost church choir-like harmonizing. Then, song segues into something that is a lot like Crosby, Stills & Nash (or America?) with 1960s folk flute flourishes. *** 6. (5:03) Best track on the CD. A beautiful, catchy melody. Wonderful dynamics. Interesting musical changes. And highly introspective lyrics. ***** 7. (2:08) Delicate instrumental, with almost classical guitar and possibly mandolin. 8. (4:25) A waltz. A lightly skipping dance around the Maypole — but with dark lyrics about a breakup. ** 9. (2:29) Another bittersweet, heartfelt ballad. 10. (8:07) A lengthy saga perhaps inspired by Pecknold’s breakup that occurred during the writing of the CD. Moves from soaring reflection to aggressive driving emotion to wistful harmonies — before ending with screeching saxophones. 11. (3:05) Paul Simon-like personal tune. Just a vocal and guitar. No reverb that’s typical of most Fleet Foxes’ songs. *** 12. (4:36) Dramatic change. Driving tempo — guitar, drum and bass — through most of song. Soaring vocals over. Ends unresolved with soft, personal a cappella harmonies. *** | ||
| Track Listing |
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