Fleet Foxes to set Zagreb on fire

Among the array of major names from the world of music that will be visiting Zagreb this autumn, the Oregon folk-rock sensation, Fleet Foxes, will perform at Tvornica kulture on November 14th. Critics and audiences regularly compare the band to legends such as Stills Nash & Young, Simon & Garfunkel, and even the Beach Boys.

Increasing numbers of world-renowned musicians who include Zagreb as an unavoidable stop on their tour routes prove that the Croatian capital has certainly become a major music venue in Europe. Among the more recent bands to visit Zagreb are the Oregon based Fleet Foxes, who will be performing at Zagreb’s Factory of Culture on November 14th. The large American folk-rock band’s 2008 debut album went platinum even in Great Britain, which speaks volumes for the quality of their new-old sound as it is unlikely that Brits would go so crazy for American folk, unless it was something truly extraordinary and special.

Music critics often compare them to old indie-rock legends such as Stills Nash & Young, Simon & Garfunkel, Fairport Convention and The Band, as well as Bob Dylan and even The Beach Boys, but their music feels new, fresh and unique nonetheless. Hits from their debut album, called simply “Fleet Foxes”, and the second album “Helplessness Blues”, recorded this year, are slightly psychedelic, depressive and yet, at the same time, lively songs so very different to the relatively sterile modern sounds of pop music. Although numerous world critics believe the second album lacks the sensation factor many had expected, the compilation seems to have fared better among audiences. The proof is simple – the album made it to the top five best-selling records in the United States, Great Britain and Scandinavia within only several months since its release.