Helplessness Blues

Robin Pecknold had initially hoped that Fleet Foxes could have released their second album in 2009; however, the band's touring schedule had caused them some setbacks. They got together to rehearse new songs in February 2009 in a rented house outside Seattle, but the sessions were mostly scrapped, costing the band $60,000 of their own money. After their tour in support of the 2008 releases ended, Pecknold mentioned the possibility of starting to record new songs, but Josh Tillman, Fleet Foxes' drummer and co-song arranger, was scheduled to play Europe and North America all along the 2009-10 winter as part of his solo musical act. Added to this, Phil Ek, the band's producer and friend answered in an interview that he was likely to continue as the producer as Robin had already sent him some demos to start listening to. In an interview with Pitchfork Media, Pecknold stated he expected the album to be released sometime in the second half of 2010. In an interview with Rolling Stone Magazine, Pecknold admitted that his girlfriend of five years found the stress this album placed on their relationship too much, and ended things. Upon hearing the completed album, she realized that Pecknold's efforts were worth it, and they tried to work it out. The couple has since split up. Pecknold has come out saying for their second album he tried to sound "less poppy, less upbeat and more groove-based". Taking inspiration from Roy Harper's folk album Stormcock, or at least its 12-string guitar he said: "That will be the primary sonic distancing from the last record". Added to this, he stated they wanted to record very quickly, saying he wanted to do the "vocal takes in one go, so even if there are fuck-ups, I want them to be on there. I want there to be guitar mistakes. I want there to be not totally flawless vocals. I want to record it and have that kind of cohesive sound. Van Morrison's Astral Weeks, to me, is the best-sounding album because it sounds like there were only six hours in the universe for that album to be recorded in. So I want it to have that feeling." The band had recorded since April 2010 in different locations (including West Hurley, New York) after two years of writing material and decided to scrap the earlier idea of a fast recording (though according to the band, the vocal takes so far have all been done in one take, perhaps in line with the original imperfect recording idea). ==Release==

The album cover was illustrated by a Seattle artist Toby Liebowitz and painted by artist Christopher Anderson. The title track, "Helplessness Blues" was released via free download on January 31, 2011, and the album's fourth track, "Battery Kinzie" premiered on Zane Lowe's show on March 22. Their record label, Sub Pop, also released a downloadable music video made up of recording and other miscellaneous footage set to "Grown Ocean" on its site in support of the album. For Record Store Day on April 16, the band released a 12" double A-side single of the title track backed with "Grown Ocean" in the US and with "Battery Kinzie" in Europe. On November 1, the video for "The Shrine / An Argument" was released via Sub Pop's YouTube account and Sean Pecknold's Vimeo account. ==Composition==

On Helplessness Blues, Fleet Foxes take on indie folk, chamber pop, and "meticulous, expansive" folk rock. It also sees them craft a baroque folk-pop style. Their debut's Americana is also exchanged for a bigger psychedelic folk influence, particularly the kind from 1960s-era Britain. ==Critical reception==

Helplessness Blues received widespread critical acclaim from contemporary music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 85 based on 42 reviews, which indicates "universal acclaim". The album was nominated for Best Folk Album at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards. Accolades ==Track listing==

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes. Musicians Fleet Foxes • Robin Pecknold – vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano, fiddle, mandolin, hammer dulcimer, harmonium, Moog, lever harp, Prophet • Skyler Skjelset – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, mandolin, water harp • Casey Wescott – piano, pump organ, Marxophone, music box, Crumar bass, Moog, Tremoloa, Tibetan singing bowls, harmonium, harpsichord, Mellotron, additional vocal harmony arrangements • Josh Tillman – vocals, drum kit, percussion • Christian Wargo – vocals, electric bass guitar • Morgan Henderson – upright bass, woodwinds Additional musicians • Alina To – violin on "Bedouin Dress" and "The Shrine / An Argument" • Bill Patton – pedal and lap steel guitar on "Grown Ocean" • Hanna Benn – string arrangement assistance on "Bedouin Dress" Recording • Phil Ek – co-producer, engineer, mixing • Greg Calbi – mastering at Sterling Sound • Adam Armstrong – recording assistant • Trevor Spencer – recording assistant • Jonny Mendoza – recording assistant • Cathy Ferrante – recording assistant • Jay Follette – recording assistant • Brian Kornfeld – recording assistant • Davey Brozowski – recording assistant Studios • Reciprocal Recording – Seattle, Washington • January to December 2010 • Dreamland Studios – West Hurley, New York • Twelve days in April 2010 • Bear Creek Studios – Woodinville, Washington • Ten days in July 2010 • Avast Recording – Seattle, Washington • Four weeks mixing and recording, Fall 2010 • Loud noises recorded at the Fort Worden water cistern Art • Toby Liebowitz – cover mind-map illustration • Chris Alderson – color • Sean Pecknold – photo collage, design, all photography • Olivia Park-Sargent – sunburst painting • Robin Pecknold – type design • Dusty Summers – design ==Charts==

Weekly charts Year-end charts ==Certifications==