Fleet Foxes

I seem to be resisting a lot of great music this year. It took me a few weeks to finally submit to the good sounds of Empire of the Sun, and now I have finally waved the white flag to perhaps the most talked (or blogged) about record of 2008.

Fleet Foxes have gained a lot of attention for their firm grasp on folk rock and roll history. Pitchfork gave their debut record a 9.0 (for those keeping track: The Very Best Mixtape 8.6 and 808s & Heartbreak 7.6) and suggests their true talent is not relying on their rock history roots: 'Rather than revive a particular scene or re-create a lost sound, the Seattle quintet cherrypick their ideas from a broad spectrum of styles, pulling in Appalachian folk, classic rock, AM country, and SoCal pop to create a personal synthesis of the music of their peers, their parents, and even their grandparents.'

(See: Tradition and the Individual Talent by T.S. Eliot).

Their music is a throwback to the world that Almost Famous depicts so well (but with more goats in the vicinity). Fleet Foxes must have a bandaid named Penny Lane somewhere. And their 'broad spectrum style' makes them friendly with everyone. They're currently making friends with my playlist that includes Bon Iver, Empire of the Sun, Fleetwood Mac, Little Joy, MGMT, Ra Ra Riot, The Strokes and Vampire Weekend.

My favorite tracks right now are He Doesn't Know Why and White Winter Hymnal.

Click HERE to listen to the Fleet Foxes via The Hype Machine