It's now twenty years since grunge emerged from then culturally isolated Seattle and Fleet Foxes, the eponymous debut album from the city's latest heroes, demonstrates just how much American independent rock has mutated in that time. The five young members of Fleet Foxes make up a very different sort of rock band, describing their own music as "baroque harmonic pop jams". Even that understates the depths of the quintet's effortless vocal harmonies and gently woozy, folky feel. Of their contemporaries only the enigmatic Midlake and My Morning Jacket at their most fragile come close, but neither could have cooked up the Beach Boys spiritual of "White Winter Hymnal" or its more powerful companion piece "Ragged Wood". In fact Fleet Foxes happily admit to aspiring to an earlier tradition--not just obvious antecedents like the Byrds, the Association, Neil Young and, especially, David Crosby's famously unfocussed solo album If Only I Could Remember My Name but ancient English folk songs and their later American descendents. All were hunted and gathered from the internet--songwriters Robin Pecknold and Skye Skjelset are barely in their twenties. Add a host of unlikely instruments and the results are stunning, the complete antithesis of mainstream stadium indie that has followed Arcade Fire. Still, the cover features a Bruegel painting of peasants that might have graced any Black Sabbath sleeve. In that way at least Fleet Foxes salute a local tradition. -???Steve Jelbert

This album ranks in the top 50 albums of 2008 lists of a fair few very well respected music publications. It was also recommended to me by this very site as well as by a colleague who has similar musical tastes to mine.

However, I felt this album was very much overrated. It's ok, it's fine, and I have no problem giving it 3*, while I sit comfortably on the fence, but anything more than that is something I cannot do. I would even go so far as to say I'd listen to this album again if someone played it to me, but it's just something I'd prefer to have on as background noise.

None of the songs stood out to me or really grabbed my attention at all. The album is innocuous, but it's also generic and rather boring. I understand the sorts of directions in which they're trying to go, but they're losing their way a bit.

They try to sound folky, retro, slightly psychedelic, and they manage it, but not to any real effect; it all sounds too try-hard, with the added problem of sounding as if not enough effort has been put into its post production as the sound quality isn't great. Maybe they were trying to go for an indie (as in independent), organic feel to their sound, but it doesn't quite achieve that objective either.

Not a bad album, but not a great one. There are a few excellent songs here (White Winter Hymnal, He Doesn't Know Why) but an awful lot of 'filler'. Some songs start off well and then appear to lose their way and finish off as disappointing extended jams (Ragged Wood for example). Solid but unspectacular.

If it's group harmonies you're after, check out the similar but far superior 'The Trials of Van Occupanther' by Midlake.

Yes it has elements of the Beach Boys, CSN&Y and about a thousand others. You could even throw Sigur Ros, Fairport Convention and Steeleye Span in there - but what counts is the stuff pouring into your ears and the emotions and sensations this experience leaves behind. On that basis this debut affected me as much as my first hearing of Beach Boy's "Pet Sounds", Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" REM's "Murmer". This is a singular creation and resonates long after the final track. What more do you want?

The reviews for Fleet Foxes seem to be in two distinct camps, those who rave about their brilliant new sound, a sound apparently derived from and influenced by everything from the Beach Boys to CSN and those who are lukewarm to their charms. I'm afraid that after a rather herculean effort to like this album and find the depths so effusively described by other reviewers I have to say that I fall into the second camp. I find the harmonising pleasant but the overall feel suggests early prog rock to me rather than the regular comparison made to My Morning Jacket who I also like but sometimes feel that I'm listening to a reincarnated Skynyrd. The Beach Boys California sound does come through on some of the tracks but it's like a weak watered down Pet Sounds - those who've made this comparison should go back and listen to the original and feel the angst and Sunshine that still shines through on almost every track. I'm still trying folks, listening again now to the album as I type and I can peg all the references made but it's now a chore listening to this. I can hear the artifice in the sound, it's a workmanlike album that deserves credit and I think they will have some success but I'm not sure if they will have longevity, I sense a shallowness to the sound that others seem to also have noted. Many people like the album so I'd actually recommend that people buy it and make their own mind up, I seem to be in the minority - knock yourselves out, jeepers now they sound like Genesis !.

Wonderful and haunting. It sounds both contemporary, seventies and has more than a hint of old 19th century American folk music about it.