Fleet Foxes
Crack-Up


5.0
classic

Review

by Sowing STAFF
June 8th, 2017 | 712 replies


Release Date: 2017 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Fleet Foxes get even more ambitious, and in the process establish themselves as possibly the greatest indie-folk act of the decade.

Where Fleet Foxes left off in 2011, Helplessness Blues saw Pecknold and company looking inward for answers to an increasingly uncertain world – one that felt like it was beginning to crumble around them. At times, the lyrics turned out to be quite foretelling; such as in the confessional title track when Pecknold lamented his place in this world (“ What's my name, what's my station, oh, just tell me what I should do”) and found himself following up that record’s astounding success by putting the band on hold and diving into academia, enrolling in four years of twentieth century art and literature studies. Pecknold has openly admitted to having social anxiety, so it makes some logical sense that in the face rising musical stardom, compounded by the normal pressures of young adulthood, he might take the introspective path of focusing on himself and his education. When he cried out, “I'll get back to you someday soon, you will see” on the seminal “Helplessness Blues”, he once again turned out to be unknowingly prophesizing the future of the band, because after a six year layover, Fleet Foxes have finally returned.

It’s unlikely that Pecknold’s time at Columbia University afforded him the answer to all of life’s problems, but on Crack-Up he does seem better equipped to handle all the mounting pressure. Whereas Helplessness Blues seemed to identify and internalize sources of anxiety, Crack-Up feels totally liberated. The stress fractures present on that album have split open into grand ravines, exposing a beautifully entropic landscape of swirling oceans, storm-ridden skies, and golden horizons. It’s as if Fleet Foxes have embraced the chaos of life – the anxiety, the internal and external pressures, the troubles of the world – and decided to face them head-on with a wink and a grin because, when it comes to life, it’s okay not to have an answer at all. That’s the whole premise of Crack-Up: to break free from your own limitations, and make yourself. Fleet Foxes have done that here.

I am only owed this shape if I make a line to hold
To be held within one's self is deathlike, oh I know
But all will be, for mine and me, as we make it

With this newfound sense of liberation, Fleet Foxes have found a way to take the nearly perfect atmosphere of Helplessness Blues and expound upon it creatively, musically, and intellectually. Crack-Up is actually the better record because it’s more daring; there’s a progressive air to the entire experience that its predecessor only hinted at, while still retaining all of the dazzling, earthly beauty that the band has long been known for. Take ‘Cassius’ for example: the Helplessness Blues version of that song likely would have concluded around the 3:50 mark, whereas Crack-Up is represented by that extra minute of lush strings intertwined with stunning cascades of classical piano. The record is all about these small twists and ad-libs that shed a different light on the known formula. An even more obvious instance is the lead single ‘Third of May / Ōdaigahara’, which alters styles and signatures across three totally different movements to mark one of the most impressive and memorable moments in the band’s history. It begins with fluttering acoustic guitars and hopeful gestures (“aren’t we made to be crowded together, like leaves?”) before transitioning towards electric guitar crescendos and percussion that responds at a furious pace. It sounds like give and take, almost a gallop. The final few minutes are composed of an all instrumental outro, featuring earth tone acoustics and a drum/guitar interplay that feels like an expedition into dense, foggy woodlands. It’s definitely this album’s answer to ‘The Shrine / An Argument’, and it has the makings of a modern folk-rock epic. Crack-Up is ripe with moments like these: ones that take the seemingly perfect definitions of Helplessness Blues and bend them effortlessly. It’s gorgeous to behold.

As a whole, Crack-Up feels like a long, winding journey. The album is always on the move, shape-shifting and reinventing itself as it spans a nearly hour long scope. A great deal of that sensation can be credited to the presence of multi-part suites such as the opener ‘I Am All that I Need / Arroyo Seco / Thumbprint Scar’, but the main reason Crack-Up is so able to actively dodge stagnation is that it continually introduces new elements to its vivid, enveloping atmosphere. The way that ocean waves come crashing in during the closing portion of ‘Thumbprint Scar’ transport you to the image on the record’s front cover, and from there any listener is essentially just along for the ride – at the mercy of Fleet Foxes and their imaginative wit. Literally every single track has a unique identifier, something that prevents it from being absorbed into the greater mass. For ‘Cassius’, it’s that aforementioned lush, string-laden outro, on ‘Naiads, Cassadies’ it’s the way the resplendent acoustic chords collide and dance around each other, on ‘I Should See Memphis’ the wood instruments provide a delectable contrast with Pecknold’s lower vocal register – and the list goes on. The best part about the diversity present across Crack-Up is that it all feels perfectly at home. In the midst of the endless formula tweaking and inventive twists, there is nary an ill-advised departure or split-second of suggestive identity crisis. It’s all fresh, and it’s all Fleet Foxes.

It would have actually made more sense for the band to stay on course while following up on Helplessness Blues – which is widely regarded as a modern day classic – but at the same time, that is what makes this equally as good / if not better detour so exciting. The band has proven that neither their self-titled debut nor Helplessness Blues represent their ceiling. Every release to date has become their new milestone, which is the sign of a band that has not only accomplished great things, but seems destined to continue defining this era of modern folk. Just as Simon and Garfunkel owned the genre in the 1960s, it would appear after three straight top-tier releases that the 2010s belong to Fleet Foxes. How about that.



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user ratings (729)
3.9
excellent
other reviews of this album
Alex Stephenson (5)
I'm just the same as when you saw me back then....

Jasmine~ (5)
http://i.imgur.com/X0TmjR8.png...



Comments:Add a Comment 
Sowing
Moderator
June 8th 2017


44394 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

This will probably go over even worse than my 22, A Million review, but oh well. This is that good.

AOTY.

Stream here:

http://www.npr.org/2017/06/08/531099733/first-listen-fleet-foxes-crack-up

Project
June 8th 2017


5889 Comments


Whoa.
Review is great and I guess I have to listen to this

Toad
June 8th 2017


2065 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0 | Sound Off

each time i listen to this record i'm tempted to just let it sweep me off my feet. i'm just very suspicious of the epic, sparse, repetitive song structures on this thing. i feel like there isn't much there behind the reverb and strumming.

Toad
June 8th 2017


2065 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0 | Sound Off

review is wonderful though. probably better than the record itself hehe

Sowing
Moderator
June 8th 2017


44394 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

This is far less immediate than Helplessness Blues. The songwriting is a lot riskier, more aimless, less catchy, etc. - but this is one of those albums with layers. It reveals its best qualities over time.

I'm sure most people will give this a 3.5, call me hyperbolic, and move on though (I mean this all in good fun of course, music is subjective). And thanks to both of you for the compliments. I spent a decent amount of time on this write-up compared to most.

Oh, and BNM already wow. Didn't even check to see the other staff ratings yet.

luci
June 8th 2017


12844 Comments


the songs here just aren't very interesting independent of each other. i guess they form a cohesive whole, but the homogeneity makes this boring

Sowing
Moderator
June 8th 2017


44394 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

I respect your opinion but I could not disagree more. I feel like every song has distinctive qualities waiting to be uncovered, you just have to be patient (not saying you haven't been, though). At this point, you could play a 7 second clip from any song here and I could immediately tell you which one it is. It's just an added bonus that the whole is even greater than the sum of its parts.

Ryus
June 8th 2017


37886 Comments


a couple songs in, very pretty but i don't know how much staying power it will have for me

Sowing
Moderator
June 8th 2017


44394 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

It's definitely one of those records that is dependent on the "grower" factor. It's not going to stick after a listen or two. If I left this after my first impression, it would have been about a 3.5 for me. That's why wide-scale this won't be as revered as Helplessness Blues, which was very immediate. Persistence will be rewarded though, if anyone else's listening experience is 1/10 as good as mine is right now.

joshuahuntkc
June 8th 2017


1888 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

This album is so good. I was impressed with it on first listen and having a month to digest has only made it better. This is equal or better than HB IMO

FullOfSounds
June 8th 2017


15821 Comments


Sowing 5s the new Fleet Foxes, the sky is blue

Sowing
Moderator
June 8th 2017


44394 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

Exactly. I was actually surprised when I realized this is the first time I reviewed a Fleet Foxes record.

TalonsOfFire
Emeritus
June 8th 2017


20995 Comments

Album Rating: 4.3 | Sound Off

Just as good as Helplessness Blues. I really like the direction they went on here.

theBoneyKing
June 8th 2017


24649 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Super excited to hear this, so many awesome sounding releases dropping next week.

ComeToDaddy
June 8th 2017


1851 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Yeah I think this started out as a 3 for me, but my rating for this went up significantly after letting it grow on me and then seeing most of it live. Calling AOTY with a new album coming from The National is a risky move though ;)

Conmaniac
June 8th 2017


27701 Comments


3/4

ianblxdsoe
June 8th 2017


1921 Comments


damn what a stellar ass review, couldn't get into Helplessness Blues so i wasn't gonna check this, but now i feel like i have to hahah

ABjordanMM
June 8th 2017


1756 Comments


they finally sound interesting on this record.

brainmelter
Contributing Reviewer
June 9th 2017


8409 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

v nice

brandontaylor
June 9th 2017


1228 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

the record's biggest success is its cohesiveness, and the band has definitely made their instrumentation and song structures more interesting. however, im not sure if this lacks highlights or just needs more plays to make them apparent, but because of that its still behind their s/t for me.



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