The highly anticipated Fleet Foxes album is here! Crack-Up promises to be a continuation of the band's experimental folk rock, plus an extra flare of wisdom as they head into eleven years of being together. As the band stated themselves, this is the proudest they've been for an album. Well, honestly, as the first three singles from the album came out, that promise and statement was coming true.
The album itself is an experiment in self-rediscovery. The amount of original work is astonishing, and I don't just mean songs that haven't been done before, I mean tempos, combinations, harmonies that have never been done before. This is a reimagining of this very dear genre - one in which Fleet Foxes have built their own sanctuary. The first track is a fine example of this new, quality product, a mixture of general folk rock, but given an extra kick as it bounce between falsetto singing and the addition of some classical violins. It is a ballad of epic proportions, with little to no wrong-footing. Cassius is far more mellow, but it still has that sweeping sound lead by Pecknold's wonderful voice. It never seems to stop changing tempo as the song progresses - the only thing missing is a strong guitar piece; it relies too much on the harmony. Naiads, Cassadies is stunning though, quickly reminding us of how adept the band is when setting the mood for a song. As usual, there are also some fine lyrics, telling us a great story as we fall for its melancholic music. When the piano appears in the middle of the song though, the song gets even better - highlighting the soft rhythm. Missing the guitar? Well, Kept Woman demonstrates the skill of its musicians, leading a beautiful harmony. I know I keep mentioning the harmony, but it's the band's defining trait - the key to their immense success. Not much needs to be said about Third of May / Odaigahara, the first single that was released - it's an adventurous, full of wit and charm, and is akin to the band's earliest work, stuff like Mykonos and Ragged Wood. The almost nine-minute long song ends with a deep and undulating guitar, string and piano piece that could have so many meanings. If You Need To, Keep Time On Me is possibly the most saddening track on the album - an emotionally powerful ballad, that whilst seems to repeat itself over and over, always finds a new moment or chord to ensure that it keeps new and original. The message in the lyrics is also very powerful - about ensuring lovers spend as much time together as possible. Mearcstapa offers a darker tune for those of you who prefer the deeper and more involved songs - it has a brilliant underlining drum beat alongside its guitar piece. On Another Ocean (January/ June) gives more time to its piano, providing a more haunting ballad - and it continues to change the tempo just like many of the band's other songs. The only problem with this is that the songs are in danger of being forgettable. The best song of the album was the second single released - Fool's Errand. The beat is complicated enough to get the listener to concentrate. The singing is possibly the best I've ever heard from the band. The chorus is beautifully pure, the drumming giving it that sense of boundless sound, like someone riding a horse across a mountain range. Even the end of the song has it's own unique take, with the band deciding to simply 'oooh' in harmony accompanied by a quiet piano - unprecedented. I Should See Memphis is the band at their most skilled, it's almost progressive rock in its creation - I love the strings in the background. Another great track amongst many other great tracks. This album couldn't get any better. And yet, Crack-Up, the title track, reminds us that Fleet Foxes are a band who won't decease quality that easily. Another haunting track from them to complete this magnificent album, with good use of trumpets to emulate the emotion in the singing. There's a moment in the song where the song almost pauses to allow the trumpets to just breathe and the vocals to reverberate through the speakers. It reminds me a bit of some Gregorian monk singing - and it may have been the effect they wanted in doing so. Unfortunately, I'm not going to be able to say it's better than their debut, because I have a massive soft spot for that undeniably talented album, but Crack-Up shows that Fleet Foxes have widened their abilities and sharpened their lyrics to create skilled and prosperous music, still with their original sound and melodies in mind. They haven't really changed their method, only their aim. 8.5/10
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AuthorA very passionate Welsh nerd... Archives
October 2017
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