Artist:
FLEET FOXES
Label:
SUB POP RECORDS
Video:
“THE SHRINE/AN ARGUMENT”
Director:
Sean Pecknold
Add Date:
December 15, 2011

How do you follow an epic breakout debut LP that takes you from small clubs to massive sold-out shows and the stage of Saturday Night Live? You release a record like Fleet Foxes’ Helplessness Blues, which is a deep and complex opus that keeps on giving. It’s Andy Gesner and the HIP Video crew here with another serving from Sub Pop’s psychedelic folk rock darlings on a quest for constant reinvention. This time Fleet Foxes channel their animal spirits in the cruel and sprawling eight-minute world of “The Shrine/An Argument.”

Fleet Foxes got their launch with their self-titled crowd-pleaser that captured audiences globally with its evocative lyrics, inviting melodies, and luscious harmonies. The band’s directness was the key to their rapid rise, allowing them to captivate a wide range of listeners. Feel Foxes have achieved Platinum status in the UK and sold over 400,000 copies in the United States. Now the band aims to rise above themselves with the complex and relatively darker Helplessness Blues. Their effort doesn’t go unnoticed as Pitchfork has once again awarded Fleet Foxes with their “Best New Music” tag and gave the record an 8.8, which we all know doesn’t come easy! Rolling Stone has given the album a 4/5 star rating, calling it “stunning.” We can talk about the massive array of raving reviews this band has garnered for pages on end, with similar support coming in from Stereogum, SPIN,NPR, and numerous other publications. But the most important factoid is that the fans love it too! The band has been busy since the release, touring the nation with bands like The Walkmen and Bon Iver this fall, as well some international runs. The group has also been a frequent guest on the festival circuit, including Lowlands Festival, Pitchfork Festival, SXSW, Reading & Leeds, and Glastonbury!

“The Shrine/An Argument” is a conceptual masterpiece, switching tempos and moods several times throughout its folky eight minute lifespan. While a lot of indie folk rock is meant to be appreciated in the background, this glowing track begs to consume your attention from its initial inception into your eardrums. The haunting melodies and instruments are perfectly complimented by the beautifully eerie animated video. The stop-motion animation takes the viewer into a dangerous biosphere of vicious and violent inhabitants. Somewhere between The Lion King’s circle of life, Where The Wild Things Are, that scene in Star Wars: Episode 1 where every creatures is food for something else, the video centers around a carnivorous antelope that gallops in treacherous terrain. The clip starts out with the creature securing its meal and bringing it back to the den. However, like any good Discovery Channel documentary, the antelope encounters the next thing up on the food chain and has to run for its life. It is here that the clip truly takes off, as the viewer gets to witness the interaction of all the animals inhabiting this word, created by Britta Johnson and Fleet Foxes singer Robin Pecknold’s brother Sean Pecknold. Eventually our humble beast succumbs to the unforgiving forces of nature, becoming the life source for something else that’s similarly struggling to survive.

We cannot stress how audio-visually stimulating this clip truly is. Even those who may usually keep away from the genre will be fully captivated by this fantastic work of art. The best music and visual creations aim to provide us escape from the gravity of the real, and “The Shrine/An Argument” accomplishes this lofty task. As before, we are fully stocked and prepared to hook you up with copies of Helplessness Blues and other Fleet Foxes goods for your consumption and giveaway desires. If you need more info, call Andy Gesner at 732-613-1779 or e-mail us at info@HIPVideoPromo.com. You can also visitwww.SubPop.com or www.FleetFoxes.com to find out more about Fleet Foxes.

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For info about Fleet Foxes’s video, “Grown Ocean” click HERE

For info about Fleet Foxes’s “MYKONOS” video, click HERE

For info about Fleet Foxes’ “White Winter Hymnal” video, click HERE

For info about Fleet Foxes’ “He Doesn’t Know Why” video, click HERE