Fleet Foxes: Wescott, Tillman, Wargo, Pecknold, and Skjelset

In early May J. Tillman, a Seattle singer-songwriter that I have written about several times, announced on his MySpace page that he was joining Fleet Foxes as their drummer for their current tour and, who knows, maybe longer. At that point, I had not yet listened to Fleet Foxes, but if they were good enough for Josh, I certainly wanted to check them out. I was immediately hooked on their homey sound, at once rustic and shiny-smooth. I’m always into rootsy, folky music with guitars and harmonies, and this is right up my alley.

About Fleet Foxes sound, lead singer/songwriter Robin Pecknold says, “We try to draw from the traditions of folk music, pop, choral music and gospel, baroque psychedelic, sacred harp singing, West Coast music, traditional music from Ireland to Japan, and film scores..”

If you read anything about FF elsewhere, you’ll see references to My Morning Jacket (yes, Pecknold’s voice sounds a lot like Jim James’) and Band of Horses (and a bit like Ben Birdwell’s too). You’ll also read that Pecknold and best friend Skyler Skjelset (lead guitar) spent their high school years listening to the tight vocal harmonies of the Beach Boys, Buffalo Springfield, the Zombies, and Crosby, Stills, Nash and sometimes Young. Oddly, this is the same music I was listening to 30 years ago at about their age, so it’s no wonder Fleet Foxes’ musical influences have drawn me in.

But there’s another facet to the music as well, one that I can’t help comparing with another band I’ve listened to lately: Shearwater’s Rook. Both bands have a lead singer with a distinctive and attractive voice. Pecknold’s is more nasal and twangy, but he hits the notes right on pitch. The similarity is where the subject matter of the songs of both bands embraces a spiritual quality that goes beyond the sound. While Shearwater’s Jonathan Meiburg uses his songs to connect us with the natural world through its birds and animals, Pecknold populates his songs with people he refers to both by name and by relationship: mother, brother, grandfather. Both songwriters attempt to call us back to deeper values and connections, virtues that are sorely needed by a society that encourages grabbing as much as you can.

Although this full-length CD has been released after the EP Sun Giant, chronologically it was recorded first and the two belong together. Some songs simply feature Pecknold and an acoustic guitar, while others employ the whole band. Some are not much more than a vocal exercise, like the round “White Winter Hymnal,” while others are pencil-sketches of stories that seem to go much deeper than the lyrics: love and longing (”Your Protector”) and death (”Oliver James”). “Heard Them Stirring” is a brilliant replication in song of wind sighing high in the boughs of big trees. Both “Tiger Mountain Peasant Song” and “Ragged Wood” are like a blend of two songs, where one just rolls into the other. I have yet to pick a favorite–it’s just all good.

Mykonos from Sun Giant - EP (2008)
Tiger Mountain Peasant Song from Fleet Foxes (2008)

Through the forest
Down to your grave
Where the birds wait
And the tall grasses wave
They do not
know you anymore
Dear shadow alive and well
How can the body die
You tell me everything
Anything true

Stream: A short recording of Pecknold, Tillman, and David Bazan (on drums) covering Bob Dylan’s “Oh Sister” for a benefit show, December 30, 2007, in Seattle.

Fleet Foxes are: Robin Pecknold (lead vocals/guitar), Skyler Skjelset (lead guitar), Casey Wescott (keyboards, vocals), Christian Wargo (bass/guitar/vocals), and Joshua Tillman (drums/vocals).

MySpace | Website | Label: SubPop Records | Lyrics
Buy at SubPop Store, iTunes, and Amazon.com

J. Tillman’s MySpace | J. Tillman at the Glass House

Show Schedule:
On tour now! Check MySpace for dates and venues.

Photo by David Belisle

Filed under: album review, Fleet Foxes, J. Tillman, Robin Pecknold

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