Helplessness Blues, 2011

I’ve not done one of these for a while, but with a new offering from Fleet Foxes, I feel compelled to comment. I’m a big fan of the Fleet Foxes, after Helplessness Blues affected my musical compass forever many years ago, nine in fact.  I love this genre of this folky, layered, thoughtful music that is generally well-produced, and at the pinnacle of which is, as it seems to me, The War on Drugs.  I find myself reverting to A Deeper Understanding frequently, on walks or at other times when reviewing, especially with good kit.  Then oftentimes, I’ll think of Helplessness Blues and what a fabulous album it is.

Shores, the new Fleet Foxes album out last week, is working for me, a lot, it is a little more accessible than Crack-Up, the Foxes’ third album.  After a few listens it is unmistakenly ‘Fleet Foxes’, and this a good thing.  It feels more uplifting, lighter and thus less intense than Crack-Up.  It is on my phone already as a Tidal download.

Also on Tidal at the moment, I’m giving Micheal Kiwanuka another go this morning after his Mercury Music Prize win.  It

Nubya Garcia’s Source

is good but I’m still a bit underwhelmed.  I guess I don’t get it.  It might have been nice to see Moses Boyd get the nod instead with his innovation and craft in recognition of the burgeoning UK Jazz scene.  Speaking of which…  I’m listening to Nubya Garcia’s Source quite a bit; try Stand with Each Other,  and go with the flow on this album.

Other current listens include Diana Krall’s new album, This Dream of You, including the cover, How Deep is the Ocean.  

Finally, I’m discovering The Stones’ Goats Head Soup, what a great collection of songs (Main Picture).  How did I miss this album for all of these years?

What’s not on Tidal?

I must add that I’m having a KLF fan crazed moment too after a ‘lockdown relaxed’ late night where I dredged up Last Train to Transcentral at 3am in the morning (geddit)!  What a Track!   I’ve found my CD copy of The White Room with said track on it and it is an absolute masterpiece, but only at full blast (these AE509s are very impressive).   Sadly, the KLF are not on Tidal, as you might expect if you knew them from the 90s!!

I’m generally listening to these albums on a Bluesound Node 2i using BluOS with Vertere Redline interconnects. My integrated amplifier is the stunning T+A PA 2000R and my speakers are the Acoustic Energy AE509s that are here for review, so watch this space, as they say.

Happy listening