Am I the only one who hasn't jumped on the Fleet Foxes bandwagon?

That isn't surprising somehow... a few people probably thought he was in the band anyway considering how those two pal around.

I just wish this headline was violinist "Saundrah Humphrey" joins Fleet Foxes!!! for a special one-night (or one-tour) only...
They perform the ENTIRE Bob Dylan DESIRE album...

*sigh* I can dream..

I too have avoided the bandwagon. They are not really doing anything for me. But I wish them well. They seem nice enough.

Fleet Foxes are: Eh.

As someone who dove into a puddle to avoid the Band of Horses bandwagon, I have to say the Foxes are like a breath of fresh air. Saw them in New York with B Trapper, and somehow they pull this atmospheric stuff off live. The LP should be huge.

Why can igLiz and I never agree???!!!?!?!?! (it's so SAD!)

Jon @ 1, Shrie @ 4: I haven't been the nicest person on the blog to you guys at times (nothing personal, honest!), but I am now 100% convinced we should be friends.

Whoa, it's been nothing but big big FF love from Team Imaginary up until this point.

The Fleet Foxes backlash begins...? ;)

I hope not. Something tells me stella or chona or Kyle are gonna jump in any second and gush away.

I'm not sure I "get" FF either. I've listened to their EP a couple of times and it doesn't do much for me. They’re definitely in the eh category for me as well.

It's true, dana! I was just logging in to say something about all the ho-hum-glumness here.

You know I adore the Foxes, and I think the addition of J Tillman is excellent news. My only question is, what happened to Nick Peterson on drums?

may i be the first to gush?

apparently unlike most of the commenters thus far, i loved the sun giant EP, and i truly think it's one of the best pieces of recorded music thus far. i thought it was a great combination of thrilling moments [the chorus of "drops in the river"-- if you can call it a chorus, and the second half of "mykonos"] and the quieter moments [the title track and the beginning of "drops"], along with some frighteningly great harmonies, strong songwriting and great musicianship.

i honestly thought they couldn't get any better, but j. goddamn tillman? wow, dude. they're practically unfuckwithable, now.

I hope they name their next record: "Practically Unfuckwithable"

I'm not a backlash person at all (I'm going to see the Black Kids TONIGHT fercryinoutloud) and I think the Fleet Foxes are fine actually. I don't wish any malice on them or anything and am happy for their success. There are TONS of bands in Seattle that really excite me and the Fleet Foxes just aren't one of them. But that's okay, too. You can listen to the Fleet Foxes and I'll listen to the Cops or Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground and the world is big enough for all of us. Maybe I'm just biased against guys with beards. I dunno.

Funny FF story, though: when I was at the Beach House show last month, it was right after SXSW and Throw Me The Statue was opening. During TMTS's set one of the guys said (and I'm paraphrasing because it was over a month ago) that it was nice to be back in Seattle because people wear scarves here because it's cold. In Austin, if someone is wearing a scarf it means that he's a jerk. Or in the Fleet Foxes.

Have to say I'm not pro-FF either. I saw them in Austin as well and they had the misfortune of playing right after the Shackeltons and they might as well have been following LSF at that show. They were: eh?! I do know I like a couple tracks off the EP but if you asked me to recount them for you by humming I wouldn't be able to even start. But I know all the words to 'West Coast' by Coconut Records and I'm going to Black Kids/Cut Copy tonight too (and I'll be dancing!). I'll wait for a full length until I make any kind of judgement on either band(jeez, does that sound as high-handed as it reads?).

Ill keep my gushing to a minimum. but im stoked on this. Big Jtillman fan. big fleet foxes fan haha

me, too, dana. me, too. :]

The Cops? Bleh. I'm not saying the Fleet Foxes suck... but they don't make me want to listen to them. So I guess that constitutes a "eh" feeling from me.

To each his own. Right?!?

But thanks ChrisB for the friendly slap on the back.

To be honest, I'm on the side of the fence that isn't really taken away by Fleet Foxes either. Meh, they just sound to me like that "folk pulled through an AM radio" sound that everyone getting signed to the local labels has these days; the spot in my heart for that sort of sound is already tremendously filled by Arthur & Yu.

With that said, I DID interview Fleet Foxes last year at Bumbershoot, as you can see with my low-fi video interview. They were REALLY super nice guys. http://threeimaginarygirls.com/FleetFoxesBshootinterview07sep
(Okay, I guess when I saw them then I said I enjoyed their set...) However, when I was walking down Pike last week, I saw them being interviewed by someone with a REAL TV camera, which made me feel like a chump :(

It's hard to criticize Fleet Foxes. They're very good at what they do. Especially if you like the 5th Dimension's harmonies with [insert 70's soft rock band here]'s melodies.

It's just all so familiar and derivative that I have a hard time getting excited about them. That said, I've gladly paid to see them perform and would do so again. I just wish they weren't so hyped -- I'm not sure they're deserving.

And I'd agree with Elle that Arthur & Yu, while similar, are much more satisfying to listen to because they're music doesn't sound as familiar.

fleet foxes = awesome

I personally don't really have an opinion on Fleet Foxes, one way or the other (haven't heard enough of them), but i DO know that I've definitely heard J Tillman and truly honestly hope this doesn't cut down on his musical output.

He's an amazing songwriter, in my book. You're not gonna dance to him, just to let you know, but for us older folks he's brilliant in a Gordon Lightfoot/Harry Nillson sort of way. On the surface it's sweet and simple, but if you dig down, and let the words get inside you, he's a great plucker of heartstrings.

And he does have a beard, for those of you who can't stand that sort of thing.

beards are the hottest thing since michael jackson turned white. no seriously, beards rule.

i love beards, don't get me wrong, but i miss black micheal jackson. like, a lot. :[

yea me too... i was trying to be clever. black michael was indeed the best. i can't get over his early albums. they really ARE good.

but beards get me wheezy in the kneesies.

This thread has really veered somewhere dangerous and weird. I like that, I also like black Michael and beards.

I don't have a beard. Maybe I would be more successful if I did? Ah well.

I saw J. Tillman at the Ballard Market yesterday, said hi and went on my way (I helped him record some early demo's in 2005 and played in his band early on). Then I went to Discovery Park and ran into Jesse Sykes and Phil Wandscher which was weird cause they are friends with Josh. Small beautiful world we live in, that is being destroyed as we speak.

I am pro-Fleet Foxes, pro-Black Jackson, con-beard. So I would vote no, Levi. ;)

J. Tillman shops at the Ballard Market?? Sheesh, I'm there like, every day practically. I will have to keep my eyes out!

Nick wasn't sleeping with the lead singer's sister and Tillman is. Do the math.

Whoa... That is a mighty juicy morsel of gossip. TIG is suddenly all OK Mag style!

Hahah. We should start a new weekly Seattle music celebrity Gossip feature. I'm not even kidding about this one. Even do a photo "Just Like Us" section. Haha. "Chris Walla drinks at independent coffee shops!"

I love Chris Walla and I love the Fleet Foxes.

Oh gosh, we would totally have enough local rumors and "celebrity sightings" to keep a NW gossip column going. In fact, I'm scared we brought up the suggestion, it could be very bad...

well well well, yes, it helps to be sleeping with the lead singer's sister if you want to get in on the band. While I can't speak to the inner dynamics of this band (whose EP was really good and whose album is just so-so), it seems a little bs to boot the drummer that brings you to the dance for someone who perhaps wants to get in on the action because he hasn't quite been able to make noise himself (not Tillman's fault however, so you can't blame the guy).

Robin is great, in a lot of ways, no doubt. But it might just be a low budget, or swinish, move casting off pearls in this way.

That said, whoever said the music biz wasn't kind was sure right about that.

let's just hope FF can deliver on the live show, cause the album is a little easy listening, however beautiful at moments.

sounds like a lot of gossip though, so someone on the inside should deliver the goods.

Tillman hangs at Top Pot a lot too - with, yes, the aforementioned sister of Robin, his flame.

I am sure she has a name though.

Doesn't hurt to know people - or sleep with them - and everyone knows that's how the world wends.

so what?

rock on FF. or pop on, as it were, FF.

To sarlac-pit-fodder Jason Hanson, :

Nice little bit of muckraking there, and way to reduce my sister Aja to a nameless object that my good friend Josh is "sleeping with." Their relationship added nothing but hesitation to the decision of playing with Josh, and that the decision WAS made in the face of the potential for conflict of interest speaks only to my deep love for Josh, and his deep and honest love for Aja and us.

What kind of person are you? We're real people. You reduce my sister to an object, reduce Josh to a chauvinistic conqueror, and us as idiots. Have some compassion.

*applause*

that was pretty out of line, jason.

it isn't hard to rise to the top when your sister is one of the lead writer's at the seattle weekly and a major label subsidiary like sub pop is tossing you that much money in production.

ff do not impress me. sorry. forgettable songs overproduced by mr ek. throw in a flute and 15 layers of vocals. break the reverb dial by turning it to 'angelic baby, its angelic' setting. hooray. my morning jacket and band of horses recycled.

kill the reverb. get some politics. write songs whose themes you might leave the listener under the illusion of your actually having lived through.

for those of you who like them, cool, have fun at their shows. great you found something that grabs you. but don't make them out to be epic or having more than a 3 year shelf life. can't see either, sorry.

Old post but still...well said robin hood. You can kick out whatever merry men you like. It's your world as songwriter. Though I don't think anybody called j a ' chauvinist' - that's your imagining. Of course it helps to know people. We want to work and play with people we know not people off the street. Who cares about old drummers and old loves?anyway, I predict you go solo after two more foxes anyway so it won't matter.

Listen you all (foolish Quixotes etc), nobody ever said musicians need to be good people or just or really anything beyond people who make music that pleases us or not. period. Robin, you are free to boot anyone from your circus as you wish and it's not for us to say whether we think it is 'right' or ethical or whatever silly terms we apply to it. Life's a bitch man. Tom Petty dropped his original band for money and his contract and you know what? I don't blame him. So don't sweat it Robin P. Though, i must say that dwelling with the rest of us in the muck here is not necessarily making you look older than 20. But that's beyond the point and Seattle pale. All that I ask is that you dial down the F'in reverb on future projects. You don't need to hide behind all that spring. Yes, BOH and MMJ already were there and did that, and I know it's what the cool kids want to hear, but please please resist it on the new album. You're better than that. What would Dylan say about records drenched like that? Ask yourself that. By the way, just stumbled upon this site. Top notch ladies.

Does anyone know if Christian Wargo is married?

Don't think he is married. I think Tillman is engaged now to Aja (Robin's sister), or so I heard. I don't think anyone else is hooked up, other than Robin, who has a long time girlfriend, Olivia Park-Sargent. I'm pretty sure they are still together and serious.

As far as some of the other posts are concerned here, well, yes, it is true that Robin as principal songwriter has the 'right' to eliminate band members if he wants to, and this happens all the time. Unless you have some inside info on band dynamics, it's not really your place to comment.

Ghost of Phil Ek: I agree with the complaint about the hyper-wet reverb sound, but I guess it's what sells these days, so can't blame em. It's not to my taste though and is a bit gimmicky.

But Robin and FF are solid, no doubt about it. Can't wait to see how they evolve.

Jim

imaginary stella,

This is prolly too late a reply to your question, but I came across this post today.

The short answer is: Nick Peterson was booted from the band for whatever conflict and he is now, I've been told, suing Fleet Foxes, as he's a pretty disgruntled guy.

I must admit though I am a HUGE J. Tillman fan so in my mind, it's a big step up for FF.

I can't wait for a new record from those guys. Love em!

Kevin

Tillman is an incredible drummer! Saw these guys at Sasquatch and they were terrific. Vocals were awesome. Tillman adds some great vocals too. That's too bad about the old drummer being angry because band lineups change, but it sounds like these guys are on a great path. The follow up should be another instant classic!