Theedge - Fleet Foxes
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Transcript of Theedge - Fleet Foxes
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8/8/2019 Theedge - Fleet Foxes
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ALBUM REVIEW: THE EDGE
By Dan Morgan
FLEET FOXES FLEET FOXES
Its not easy defying genres. Its even harder re-writing them. And to
launch an entirely new one with the explosive success achieved byFleet Foxesis all but unheard of. A hypnotic blend of country, folk and acoustic music with
palpably indie influences, the Seattle four-pieces debut album manages to be
both groundbreaking and utterly enthralling in a way that no album has matched
in many long years.
If ever music could create atmosphere, this does. Opening with definablyfolky number, Sun It Rises is glides though its country roots in an almostpsalmic fashion. The chanting style of the early tracks is a pervasive theme
throughout the album, and lends a decidedly traditional, almost church-like edge
to the music.
The following two tracks, White Winter HymnalandRagged Woods arethe two tracks that have received the most public attention. The latter is one of
the more upbeat tracks on the album, employing a full drum track and more
electric influences than the rest of the predominantly acoustic record. The
former is one of the best tracks to be released as a single in recent years. A
darkly mystical and yet powerfully beautiful track, White Winter Hymnalischillingly atmospheric, with the same chanted style as heard earlier on the
album, but with a depth and hypnotic sound that has to be heard to be
understood.
Tracks four, five and six are in stark contrast to each other. The first,
Tiger Mountain Peasant Song, is similar is style and content to WWH, albeitslower and slightly less gripping. Quiet Houses is another of the more upbeattracks, with a simple, repetitive drum track and pipe-organ accompaniments.He
Doesnt Know Why is a mixture of the two styles, and is unfortunately
disappointing in comparison to earlier tracks.Heard Them Stirringis a return to the psalmic style of track one, yet even
darker, and with hard, short electric guitar riffs interspersing the chants.
Although almost gothic in its depth and complexity, the absence of lyrics makes
this track more difficult to engage with than the rest of the album. The following
track, Your Protector, has no such qualms, with openly morbid lyrics makingclear how powerfully the theme of death grips this band.
The Dylan-esque Meadowlands is the most overtly folk track, takingevident influence from the iconic singer-songwriter. This is also true of the
penultimate trackBlue Ridge Mountains, with its simple acoustic guitarbackground and poetic lyrics. The electric indie-pop bridge is the only factor
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separating the new from pre-electric Dylan.
The simple brilliance of the final track disguises the coldly haunting story
it is telling. The song describes the drowning of a child, but does so with such
weightless beauty that it is almost uplifting.
I could go on for many pages about how this is without a doubt one of themost hypnotic, engrossing, involved albums of the past couple of decades, but
without being able to play these songs to you through the pages you are holding,
I am limited in my ability to have you understand the way this music affects the
listener. If I could paint a picture of dark, damp forests, so powerful in their
blackness and depth and natural complexity that walking through them
transcends claustrophobia and becomes a personal escape, I would. But it might
just be easier for you to go buy the album.