Oct 2008
more Foxes...
Oct/10/2008 *
permalinkage
Due to
popular demand from Podcast Cafe listeners who are
loving the Fleet Foxes as much as I am, I dug
out a BBC Radio 2 show featuring the Foxes in the
studio, playing a few tunes and being interviewed.
As a bonus, I added on two unreleased studio
tracks to the end of the podcast. You can download
or stream it over at the Live
Archive.
Also, a dude who was at the sold-out Bellingham show last weekend contacted me to say he too was at the show, sitting in the front row, videotaping portions of the concert. The main difference is he got great footage. Check it out:
Also, a dude who was at the sold-out Bellingham show last weekend contacted me to say he too was at the show, sitting in the front row, videotaping portions of the concert. The main difference is he got great footage. Check it out:
Fleet Fox Mania!!
Oct/10/2008 *
music reviews
* permalinkage
I've been listening to both Fleet Foxes albums a ton over the past 2 months or so -- especially am fond of the debut EP "Sun Giant," and on that release, I am insatiably hooked on the tunes "Mykonos" and "Innocent Son." I liked this band plenty-- their comforting sound, unique songwriting, creative instrumentation and especially the CSNY-esque vocal harmonies -- but after seeing them live last night here in Bellingham....well, now it is serious. Freekin' A: they sounded good -- strong, clear, rousing, and the power of their harmonies sung live, with the full bellows of their lungs, was almost startling. The venue they played in -- the Performing Arts Center on the campus of Western Washington University -- was designed for the ultimate sound -- it is often used for classical and other acoustic performances. The Foxes filled the whole space -- which was packed to the rafters with mostly students, but folks of all ages too -- with a warm, reverberating sound that I could literally feel resonating in my chest. Because I went to the show solo, I was able to score a seat in the front row center, so was on the front lines of their performance.
They talked quite a bit between songs -- conversations with old friends they knew in the audience, gently poking fun at the Society for Creative Anachronisms (Dungeons & Dragons, but in real life), Bruce Springsteen and college kids -- and mentioned several times they felt uncomfortable playing a college auditorium, as opposed to a club, with the crowd invisible to them because of the lighting.
"I wonder if, like, you're all a college class studying us, and everybody knows it but us," a Fox wondered. From then on, the crowd shouted "A+!" or "extra credit!" when they played a particularly good song or told a good joke.
Another thread of conversation through the performance was the lead singer, who was donning a too-small, uncomfortable-looking red jacket, talking about a wardrobe malfunction. "I'm wearing this red jacket because I lost all of my other clothes," he sighed. Later he wondered aloud, "How did I lose all my clothes?"
Anyways, you can download or stream a live Fleet Foxes concert from this past summer over at the Live Archive (thanks NPR!) I have video of them performing the excellent song "Mykonos" in Bellingham posted at YouTube and a few photos over at Flickr.
The sound on this video is pretty shoddy -- the music was loud, I was in the front row, my camera is cheap -- but the vocal harmonies at minutes 2:00 and 3:25 sound rather marvelous.
This one here features lead singer Robin Pecknold singing s song solo and unplugged. Only problem was that my memory card filled up about halfway through the song! Obviously, my pirating skills need some work -- AAAAaaaaaarrrrrrRRRrrr!
Even more videos and stuff after the jump...
Cool Fleet
Foxes bio from the Sub Pop website
here and a story called
"Fleet Foxes Are Not Hippies: Don't Let the Floppy
Hats, Jesus Beards, and Five-Part Vocal Harmonies
About Rivers, Trees and Sunshine Throw You" from
the Stranger
over
here.
Found these fine homemade videos too:
Fleet Foxes He Doesn't Know Why from Grandchildren on Vimeo.
White Winter Hymnal from Grandchildren on Vimeo.
OK. That is all.
Found these fine homemade videos too:
Fleet Foxes He Doesn't Know Why from Grandchildren on Vimeo.
White Winter Hymnal from Grandchildren on Vimeo.
OK. That is all.