Helplessness Blues

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Work

Helplessness Blues · Fleet Foxes hoped to release the second album as early as 2009, but tours caused delays and a rehearsal stint near Seattle cost the band 60,000 dollars without result. In the end the band recorded from April 2010, at various locations, with producer Phil Ek. Robin Pecknold wanted to sound less poppy and more groove-oriented, with the twelve-string guitar of Roy Harper's Stormcock as a model. It is the first album with bassist Christian Wargo and multi-instrumentalist Morgan Henderson, and the only one with drummer Josh Tillman, who later went solo as Father John Misty.

The music is indie folk, chamber pop and expansive folk rock. The influence of American roots gave way to psychedelic folk from 1960s Britain. The title song was released as a free download, and Battery Kinzie and Grown Ocean received attention before the release. Critics were very enthusiastic: The Guardian called the record almost ridiculously beautiful.

Listening

Track list

1. 1Montezuma3:37Apple Music ↗
2. 2Bedouin Dress4:30Apple Music ↗
3. 3Sim Sala Bim3:14Apple Music ↗
4. 4Battery Kinzie2:49Apple Music ↗
5. 5The Plains / Bitter Dancer5:54Apple Music ↗
6. 6Helplessness Blues5:03Apple Music ↗
7. 7The Cascades2:08Apple Music ↗
8. 8Lorelai4:25Apple Music ↗
9. 9Someone You'd Admire2:29Apple Music ↗
10. 10The Shrine / An Argument8:07Apple Music ↗
11. 11Blue Spotted Tail3:05Apple Music ↗
12. 12Grown Ocean4:36Apple Music ↗

30-second previews via Apple Music. Listen to the whole album on Apple Music ↗