Few bands have had the album-to-album consistency of Fleet Foxes. They’ve swapped members (Father John Misty was once their drummer) and shifted styles during 14 years of recording, but each of their four LPs has been a stirring and triumphant blend of folk and rock. Though set almost exclusively in bandleader Robin Pecknold’s native Pacific Northwest, their albums are sprawling in vision and grandiosity. Spin Magazine featured Pecknold on our cover before the release of Fleet Foxes’ second LP, Helplessness Blues, with writer David Peisner saying, “…their stunning new album might bring them mainstream success.” Peisner then mused, “But do they even want it?” That latter question has haunted Pecknold and his band since their inception. However, as the mainstream has embraced the group, and their diehard fans have remained, the band seems more at peace with attention. During this unprecedented time, Fleet Foxes released a new album, Shore, which was intentionally released exactly at the autumnal equinox on September 22, 2020. After a long hiatus, Shore is a welcome return from Fleet Foxes. The band has been screening an accompanying art film at drive-in theaters across the country, offering fans a unique way to listen to their fourth album. On the heels of Shore, Spin has found 30 artists whose style and sound mirror the legendary Seattle band.
