Two things have hit me hard today: the sheer intensity of this Sydney heat and this brand new track from the ever glorious Fleet Foxes. While other artists have tried to outgun them with the sheer quantity of hamonising voices (Brisbane’s Inland Sea representing with a whopping five vocalists) it’s nice to see that they’re still on top of the game. Classic Pecknold vocals can’t be beat.

Helplessness Blues is like many of the tracks on their first full length in that it’s divided into two clear separate sections. I guess the difference between Fleet Foxes and most other bands is that they’ve effectively managed to write two outstanding songs and release them as one. Even as I write this I recognise that I’m talking nonsense but my eagerness for you to hear this track overrides my desire to be eloquent. Here’s the track. It’s a free download. The new records drops of May 3. Viva Fleet Foxes.

Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues

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[FREE DOWNLOAD]

There was a time when two artists were flying sky high on top of the country-alt/folk scene. Those artists were Band of Horses and Fleet Foxes and that time was I don’t know, pretty recently or something. Less prominent was a third player in the mix, My Morning Jacket. I don’t know if you ever got the chance to hear My Morning Jacket but let’s just say this; If you didn’t you’re a philistine and I hate you. I actually hate you.

Musical salvation is here and it’s come in the form of a reverb soaked masterpiece. In much the same way God sent Jesus to save a people who’d turned their back on Him, I’m sending you this, a taste of My Morning Jacket’s 2005 album Z, even though you’re sinners. This analogy is really breaking down. When all is said and done though, I’m truly doing you a favour here. When your bud starts talking about the new Fleet Foxes record in a few months and their “epic harmonies” you can smugly look at her and say “yeah… I guess… My Morning Jacket did this like, a hundred years ago though”.

So here are two monumentally gargantuan tracks from Z. Buy the record. Trust me. Be sure to give ‘Dondante’ sufficient time (at the very least 3:30) to explode in yourear.

My Morning Jacket- Gideon

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My Morning Jacket – Dondante

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Midway through the year I wrote an article about Mountain Man for the Spit Press, Sydney based streetpress for the creative individual. I’ve given that time to cool, but it’s been long enough. Here’s a song from Mountain Man. If you want to read the original article I wrote then click here and turn to page 18. It’s pretty funny. Not laugh out loud funny, more like “this bitter twenty-something is attempting to convince me that he himself is outside of pop-culture” funny. You know, like a hipster calling a hipster a hipster even though they are both hipsters. We’re all hipsters, some of us just don’t know it yet.

Mountain Man – Animal Tracks

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Mountain Man – River

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There are four songs available as free downloads from their Daytrotter session. Just click here and they can be yours.

Mountain Man are playing the Famous Spiegeltent in Sydney on Monday the 14th of January. I won’t be there as I’m away on camp but you should be there. It’ll be all time. Imagine the dead silence with these harmonies hovering above it.

I hope everybody had a great Halloween. I know I sure did. I had a particularly scary evening spent out west. Something that’s neither Western nor scary however, are the melodious songs of Inland Sea, a band from the fiery Northern realm (I’ve been reading fantasy novels lately) of Queensland. Don’t even act like you didn’t love every bit of that segway. One moment we’re talking about Halloween then- What!? Did we just change topic!? I know. I know.

Anyway, Queensland, harmonies, violins, you’ll love it. They cite Arcade Fire as an influence, probably because they both have way too many band members to fit comfortably on a stage. A ten piece! Imagine dragging that around the country. I ‘spose the upside is that they can arrange some glorious five part harmonies. I guarantee- I GUARANTEE you’ll be hearing a lot more about the Inland Sea in months to come.

Here’s one of three tracks that they’ve made available for free download.

Inland Sea – No Time

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A copy of their EP will set you back $8.45 on itunes.

Be the envy of all your friends with Lord Huron’s three song single! They’ll be like “listen to this track from Fleet Foxes! It’s called Ragged Wood!” and you’ll be all “Not even! I used to love Fleet Foxes but now they’re so passé. Lord Huron are the new Fleet Foxes”. You’ll be wrong because they’re not really the new Fleet Foxes but they do sound a little similar so I can see what you were talking about but to be quite frank you’ve got a bad attitude. Stop being so elitist. Here’s the track that you’re soon to love:

Lord Huron – The Problem With Your Daughter

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I know, it rules. And yes, you’re welcome. It’s the perfect soundtrack for the urban lumberjack. If you want to purchase their three tracks then head over to their bandcamp. Three dollars total. Alternatively, if you’re a cheapskate you can just download Into The Sun for free.