Fleet Foxes / Helplessness Blues - SP888

Helplessness Blues is the new full-length from Fleet Foxes. Helplessness Blues was recorded over the course of a year at Avast Recording, Bear Creek Studios, Dreamland Studios, and Reciprocal Recording. The album was recorded and mixed by Phil Ek and co-produced by Fleet Foxes and Ek. The piece that appears on the album cover was illustrated by Seattle artist Toby Liebowitz and painted by Chris Alderson. Fleet Foxes is Robin Pecknold, Skyler Skjelset, Christian Wargo, Casey Wescott, Josh Tillman and Morgan Henderson.

Released: May 3, 2011

Fleet Foxes / Fleet Foxes - SP777

Fleet Foxes are five. There are five of them, and they are from Seattle. They are, for lack of an eminently more marketable descriptor, a group trafficking in baroque harmonic pop. And the joy they derive in doing so is palpable. We feel it too. They are, self-described, not much of a rock band. With the help of credit cards, minimum wages, tip money, friends and family, Fleet Foxes crafted their first demo, and subsequently the Sun Giant EP and this debut full-length album, with family friend Phil Ek manning the rudder. Drawing influence from the traditions of folk music, pop, choral music and gospel, sacred harp singing, West Coast music, traditional music from Ireland to Japan, film scores, and their NW peers, Fleet Foxes ranges in subject matter from the natural world and familial bonds to bygone loves and stone cold graves. Robin Pecknold is in Fleet Foxes: “All we strove for with this record was to make something that was an honest reflection of who we are, citizens of the western United States who love all kinds of music and above all else love singing…” And we believe them.

If you pre-order Fleet Foxes on CD or LP by June 3rd, you’ll automagically receive $2 off! That makes the CD $10 and the LP $12!

The glorious gate-fold vinyl LP version, by the way, comes with a digital download code, AND includes the Sun Giant EP on a second, enclosed, largely complimentary (and certainly complementary) piece of vinyl! This, it seems worth mentioning, is currently the only way to get Sun Giant on vinyl. Also worth mentioning: this version of the LP, the one with that comes packaged with the Sun Giant EP, is the same version of the LP that you will find wherever and whenever you might buy it — not just here through subpop.com, and not just if you pre-order it.

Rolling Stone review of Fleet Foxes
Pitchfork review of Fleet Foxes

Released: June 3, 2008