Helplessness Blues

Rolling Stone (p.66) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "With its gleaming acoustic guitars, acid-folk brush strokes and warming choral harmonies, HELPLESSNESS BLUES is vocalist-songwriter Robin Pecknold's dazzling evocation of early-Seventies rock Eden..." Rolling Stone (p.68) - Ranked #4 in Rolling Stone's '50 Best Albums Of 2011' -- "A monument to folk-rock beauty..." Spin (p.68) - "Musically, the hooks are softer, the arrangements more ambitious, and 1960s British psychedelic folk a far more palpable influence than the Americana that fueled the band's 2008 debut." Spin (p.23) - Ranked #33 in Spin's 'The Top 40 Albums Of 2011' -- "[A] sinewy, often stormy album of '70s-centric folk rock that sparkles even when cast in shadows." Entertainment Weekly (p.74) - "On their second disc of intimate, obsessively crafted folk, the bearded Seattleites take a giant step forward in their quest to turn the clock backward." Entertainment Weekly (p.99) - Ranked #2 in Entertainment Weekly's 'The Top 10 Albums Of 2011' -- "Blessed with epic harmonies, these Seattleites recall folk legends from the golden age of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young." Uncut (p.34) - Ranked #12 in Uncut's '50 Best Albums Of 2011' -- "[W]ith a discreet expansion of the band's sound, and an increased focus -- beneath those gorgeous and dense harmonies..." CMJ - "In between the soul-searching, Fleet Foxes cranks out some pretty great singalong songs." Down Beat (p.54) - 4.5 stars out of 5 -- "Bandleader Robin Pecknold displays welcome growth as a songsmith, writing more personally and, at the same time, more universally than on the Foxes' self-titled debut." Billboard (p.32) - "[I]t might be the year's airiest outing so far, with a natural melodic grace that recalls prime-era Simon & Garfunkel." Clash (Magazine) - "The dreamlike beginning of 'Montezuma', with its tender, subdued melody and singer Robin Pecknold's delicate vocals, is a gentle reintroduction into the world of Fleet Foxes and their ethereal, endless summer vibes."

デビュー作で大きな注目を集めたフリート・フォクシーズの3年ぶりとなる2作目。USルーツミュージックをたっぷり吸収した幻想的な楽曲には、ますます磨きがかかっている。多彩な生楽器の音色を軸にしつつ、柔らかなリヴァーブに包まれた広がりのあるサウンドと、聖歌を思わせる澄み渡ったコーラス、そして何よりソングライティングの素晴らしさ――ここにあるのは、＜歌＞に対する誠実でピュアな愛情だ。
bounce (C)村尾泰郎