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OnSugar Music Review: The Fleet Foxes' Helplessness Blues

OnSugar Blog — Wed, 18 May 2011 08:00:00 PDT

The following review was written by davidwolfson, who posted it on the blog Scene B Seen.

I'm going to come out of the gate with a bold statement, which is that Fleet Foxes' sophomore effort is even better than their debut. Every year we have multiple bands that blow people away with their debut albums; this year so far it's Yuck and The Vaccines, but most of them flop on their followup. Making their first album is a relatively simple process for most bands - they just go in and record the best songs they have, which they've usually been playing for a long amount of time already. There isn't much expected from them; the job of the debut album is simply to give listeners an idea of what the band is like. Most bands make it their definitive statement.

But the sophomore effort is a completely different animal. The songs have to be written and executed under pressure and usually within a short period of time, or else the band is either written off as old news or, in Fleet Foxes' case, the hype builds and builds. This is where most bands crack, and to me when a band succeeds at this point, it is a sign that they will be in it for the long run. Fleet Foxes have definitely succeeded.

They chose to take their time and let the hype build and expectations rise, but they matched them: that almost never happens. The safe move for a band that put out a big-time debut album is usually to ride the momentum from it and record a similar set of songs quickly to put out. But Fleet Foxes evidently did not want to do that. That would have resulted in a set of songs that wasn't quite as good as the debut album. Robin Pecknold was confident enough in his ability to match the expectations to take time out to make something great again, even though it took a while. It's somewhat reminiscent of Arcade Fire, who only put out an album every three years or so but each time they do, the album becomes classic. It speaks volumes that Fleet Foxes was able to pull this off - they are the real deal.

To read the rest of the review, just click here

This Just In: NME Thinks America Is Cool Again

BuzzSugar — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 05:30:51 PDT

Bad news, Buzz readers (and America): Apparently, we have all been suffering from a crisis of uncoolness for some time now. And the worst part is we didn't even know it (or, at least, I didn't)! This is all according to the British music magazine NME - but there's good news, too, since NME has now managed to find 25 American bands that are making us cool again!

To quote the press release, the new issue is celebrating "the 25 American acts who are whipping up a storm on both sides of the Atlantic - signaling the re-birth of the US music scene!" Which is good, since I've had nothing to listen to for years now when I want to support the good ol' US of A!

Sarcasm aside, I'm glad the magazine is recognizing some great bands that started here - but this is kind of dramatic. I mean, did you know our music scene had died? I thought things were going pretty well, even before Vampire Weekend showed up.

Anyway, I may not agree with NME's sensational declarations, but I am OK with these bands representing America's fine musical taste abroad. I'll share the list of bands after the jump, but I'm also curious what acts gave our friends in the UK such a sour feeling about American music before now. If they really thought we were suffering, they could have just asked, and I would have been happy to point them to some great music!

To see the 25 bands that have helped us reclaim some cool points and let me know your thoughts,

Vampire Weekend
Lil Wayne
Glass Candy
Kings of Leon
MGMT
Spank Rock
TV on the Radio
Boy Crisis
Black Kids
Holy Ghost Revival
The Hold Steady
Fleet Foxes
Amazing Baby
Jay Reatard
HEALTH
The Cool Kids
Black Lips
Yo Majesty
White Denim
Telepathe
Iglu and Hartly
Chester French
Girl Talk
TheDeathSet
Grace Jones

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Claymation + Fleet Foxes = Feast for the Senses

BuzzSugar — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 11:33:35 PDT

You know what I really enjoy? Claymation. Even better? Claymation paired with a delightful song from one of the bands getting a lot of play time on my iPod right now: Fleet Foxes.

If you haven't checked out their new album yet, I'd urge you to do so - it's so fantastic. Now one of my favorite tracks, "White Winter Hymnal," has a lovely animated video to accompany it and like Andrew Bird's video for "Lull" early this summer, it's the perfect match up of interesting animation with an appropriate song to make a totally great music video. Or, as Stereogum puts it, "if psychedelic folk music could be made out of clay, it would look like this."

To see for yourself,

Thanks to Pitchfork for premiering the video:

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What to Download: New Music on iTunes

BuzzSugar — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 15:30:16 PDT

Tuesdays are big in entertainment-ville: Not only do all the new DVD releases hit Netflix, but new music also pours into stores, including iTunes. So I take a spin through each week's iTunes music releases and pick out some albums and tracks worthy of a download. You may have heard that Coldplay's new album is out today (I reviewed here) and you can also sample the new Wolf Parade album before you download it.

By the way, if you took my advice and downloaded the Fleet Foxes a couple of weeks back, there was something wrong with the iTunes version of the track called "He Doesn't Know Why." So, now you can get the better version here for free!

Makin' mischief: People tend to describe Katy Perry's musical sensibilities as "feisty." I think that's an understatement. Her song "Ur So Gay" is totally hilarious, and you probably know a guy or eight that seem like the one she's singing about. "I Kissed a Girl" is catchy, too, and already has a bit of a cult following. Hers are the kind of songs that will get your friends talking (and dancing) if you slip them into a party mix. Good times.

The boys of summer: It's no secret I'm a giant fan of The Hold Steady. On this busy day for music, do not miss taking a listen to the band's fourth album, Stay Positive, which is out early on iTunes ahead of its physical release next month. Already the track "Constructive Summer" makes me want to jump up and rock out, and I'm really digging "Lord, I'm Discouraged" as well. But who am I kidding? I'm downloading the entire thing.

Two more great download selections, so

Funny lady: Sometimes it's hard for me to get other people into Kathy Griffin because she has this pesky reputation for being annoying. But I find her stand-up hilarious, and now instead of begging friends to give it a chance, I will simply turn on bits from this standup show now available on iTunes. Her impression of Oprah on "Oprah's Favorite Things" kills me. And when she shoots down claims that Donny and Marie were hip in "The Osmonds Were Never Cool," I hurt with laughter.

Feeling dark? This new album from Silver Jews is, well, a little depressing. The band tends to tell the cold, hard truth about things like dreams and how they end - not unlike, say, Johnny Cash. This time around, though, the band's lyrics are more playful, like in "Suffering Jukebox." Also, "San Francisco B.C." is pretty amazing and incredibly poetic.

What to Download: New Music on iTunes

BuzzSugar — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 16:32:53 PDT

Tuesdays are big in entertainment-ville: Not only do all the new DVD releases hit Netflix, but new music also pours into stores, including iTunes. So I take a spin through each week's iTunes music releases and pick out some albums and tracks worthy of a download. In addition to the selections below, you can download the best of Radiohead (according to whom, I'm not sure) and a new album from The Virgins. Here are today's selections:

Indie darlings: Fleet Foxes are yet another little band making good out of the Northwest and their first self-titled album is gorgeous. One track, White Winter Hymnal is ethereal and sweet, and I can't get enough. They kind of have a Shins vibe going on.

The cynical beauty: It's no secret I've been salivating for the new Aimee Mann album, and it's finally here! I've already downloaded, Freeway and Thirty One Today. I'm so excited to dig into the rest of the album.

Another three albums (busy day for music!) if you

A little bit country: When I hear about Jessica Simpson making the leap to country, I roll my eyes. When I hear Jewel's taking a stab at it, I sit up and take notice. From what I've heard so far, it's a natural fit. There's no mistaking Jewel's voice and set to twangy Dixie Chick-type melodies it's a good choice for both country music fans and Jewel devotees.

More Weeds: I've been buzzing about the third season of Weeds coming out on DVD today and the latest soundtrack is here, too! It looks like a cool, quirky compilation. I just saw Beruit perform at Sasquatch and their song Scenic World is included, along with a track called Buttmachine by That 1 Guy.

Boys of summer: And last but not least, Weezer's sixth album has arrived. The third track, Pork and Beans has made me happy for weeks now (and is accompanied by a funny music video), though the rest of the album has yet to grow on me.

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Alternative Rock Winter Playlist

Anna Monette Roberts — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 01:50:01 PST

Rather than run Christmas classics ragged when working out, opt to play these alternative tunes mentioning Winter, snow, and the holidays. Upbeat tracks from bands like Vampire Weekend will keep you feeling powered up despite the dreary weather. Mumford and Sons, Simon and Garfunkel, Fleet Foxes, and the Head and the Heart offer classic, folk rock sound and seasonally appropriate lyrics so you can still shake it (without having to listen to something like "Jingle Bell Rock") in the spirit of the holidays. Winter-themed songs from the Dodos, Swimming With Dolphins, and I Break Horses are lively and addictive to keep your spirits high even though the temperatures are low.

See the track list.

Announcing the 2012 Grammy Award Nominations

Rose Curiel — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 07:51:21 PST

For the second year in a row, the Recording Academy has given a hip-hop artist the most Grammy nominations. Last year, it was rapper Eminem with eight, and this year, Kanye West leads the nominees with seven chances at the golden gramophone, including a song of the year nod for "All of the Lights." West is also nominated twice in the rap album of the year category for his collaboration with Jay-Z on Watch the Throne and his own album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Brit crooner Adele wasn't far behind Kanye, picking up six nominations for her album 21, as well as a shot at song of the year with "Rolling in the Deep."

Bruno Mars also did well, racking up six nominations (that's down one from last year for those keeping track), while newcomers like Nicki Minaj and dubstep artist Skrillex are up for the best new artist category. See what other artists have a chance of walking away with a Grammy during the February 12 award show when you read more

Glee-Ful Highlights From Episode "Blame It on the Alcohol"

Becky Kirsch — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 10:29:59 PST

Now this is the show I fell in love with last year! Glee has all the right moves this week: entertaining performances that fit nicely into the story, the kids getting up to typical (OK, slightly exaggerated) teen mischief, and Mr. Schuester showing that he's only human (without steering too far into creepyville).

The latest "epidemic" to sweep McKinley High is underage drinking, which prompts Principal Figgins to declare Alcohol Awareness week. To help scare the students into sobriety, he enlists Mr. Schue to get his glee club to perform a song about the dangers of drinking. Rather than take the assignment to heart, the gleeks decide to explore the benefits of drinking instead. It kept me laughing and entertained from Principal Figgins's first mention of "the wet devil" to Santana asking Mr. Schuester what he'll live for if he can't drink. More of my favorite highlights and one-liners when you

Rachel moves forward with her songwriting plans and invites Finn to have the first listen. They share a genuinely sweet moment - their first in awhile that doesn't end with Rachel trying to make a move on her ex - and it reminded me that these two had some pretty good chemistry at one point. I was half expecting Rachel's song to be a thinly veiled ballad about losing the quarterback, but the result is even better. I cracked up when Rachel gets to the chorus of "My Headband," and though we all know that she'll come up with something profound in time for nationals, for now I'll take the ode to accessories.
Finn convinces Rachel that she needs to let loose and live a little more so she can tap into her emotions as a composer. With her dads away on a Rosie O'Donnell cruise, Rachel throws a party for the glee club (plus Kurt and Blaine), complete with drink tickets and wine coolers. Of course, the restrictions are lifted after about 10 minutes, giving us good gleeks gone bad.
The party scene is absolutely hilarious, chock-full of slurred one-liners like Blaine commenting on how tall Finn is, and Rachel's first response to wine coolers: "It tastes like pink!" Finn points out that each member of the glee club embodies a different drunken cliche (stripper Brittany is kind of expected, but who would've thought Santana would be the weepy drunk?). When Rachel cozies up to Finn, he accuses her of being the needy drunk (wet blanket alert!), so she sets out to prove him wrong.
I somehow never thought about what a duet featuring Blaine and Rachel would be like, but this week we get our answer: amazing. After a spin the bottle smooch, they drunkenly take on "Don't You Want Me," which proves to be poignant for Quinn and Kurt as they eye their oblivious crushes with pangs of unrequited love. I'm hoping to see two of Glee's best vocalists paired up again, but their couplehood is fleeting, as Blaine realizes after a bit of introspection (and a kiss at the coffee shop) that he's definitely gay. There's still hope, Kurt!
The kids aren't the only ones experimenting with booze this week: Mr. Schuester's been feeling lost without Emma and Teri, so Coach Beiste suggests that he unwind with her at her favorite Western-themed joint. It doesn't take more than a couple of drinks to get the teachers on stage belting out "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer," and one night of harmless fun quickly turns into bad behavior for Will. First he gets buzzed while grading papers (sadly I have a feeling he's not the only teacher who's ever done this), but things really get out of control when he drunk dials Emma - or so he thinks.
All of the drunken good times come to a breaking point when the kids perform at the assembly. (Principal Figgins gets in some quality screen time, but introducing New Directions performing "Tik and also Tok by rapper Key-dollar-sign-a" is priceless). Rachel passes out some homemade giggle juice to calm the nerves, and all goes according to the plan. That is, until Brittany's killer dance moves get to be a bit too much, and she starts spewing gray vomit all over the stage, and her fellow club members. The rest of the kids follow suit, leaving their classmates stupefied.
Sue mostly stays in the background of this episode, which is exactly how I like her. She delivers a few good lines, explains how she pushed her way to the top of Aural Intensity, and then disappears. However, she comes back for a grand finale at the end of the episode, revealing that Will had actually left her the drunk voice mail, and plays it over the loudspeaker. (Did anyone else catch the Grease reference as Becky plays the xylophone?) The message made me cringe more with each sentence, and it seemed like Emma feels a similar pain.
The episode ends on a moral note, as Mr. Schuester vows not to drink before nationals and asks the kids to pledge to join him. They're reluctant at first but are touched when Will offers to give them a ride any time when one of them has a relapse. Bonus points for no gooey closing number.

Did you love this week's episode as much as I did? Which performance was your favorite? Did you like hearing Coach Beiste show off her pipes? Leave your comments below, or take them over to the Glee Club group.

Photo courtesy of Fox