Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues (2011) [Sub Pop] // Grade: D

On their new album, Fleet Foxes make pretty music, partially based upon Appalachian folk music. It sounds good and would be nice to throw on at a casual gathering. It is pleasant and it’s pretty, and therein lies the problem.  Never has the indigenous music of those Virginia hills sounded so safe than in the Sufjan-ed strains of Helplessness Blues. Even the casual listener can hear the raucous and unpolished bliss in June Carter’s cackle.  Fleet Foxes newest effort maintains none of that essence, and therefore completely dilutes what might be the original music of the United States of America into safe indie hipster playlist.

So what does this mean? This means that Helplessness Blues has Grammy written all over it. It means that the “cool” English professor at your community college will be expounding upon the brilliance of this album, and its import as a statement of Americana. Hell!, I believe Rolling Stone already has. It means Kanye might just sample this, and even if he doesn’t, countless mash-ups will appear on bootleg sites. This album has smash success written all over it. And why? Because Fleet Foxes does for the O Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack what Merriweather Post Pavillion did for Pet Sounds. There is true devotion to original Appalachian music in this album, so much so that it almost seems wrong to criticize it so harshly. The only thing is it is completely unecessary. As much as I like Pet Sounds, I don’t think I’d want to live without Animal Collective’s updated take on Brian Wilson’s psychedelia.  As a fan of Country Blues and American folk traditions, I found this Fleet Foxes album to be a pleasant listen, but afterwards I didn’t feel the need to listen again.

Surely this album will be well received and praised by many reviewers, but the fact remains that by taking the safe route, Helplessness Blues finds iteslef being an album that is easily forgotten by these ears.

- Nattymari