Fleet Foxes Announce New Album Helplessness Blues, Share Title Track

It's official. Fleet Foxes will release their highly (that's HIGHLY) anticipated sophomore album, Helplessness Blues, on May 3rd through Sub Pop/Bella Union. The album is the follow-up to the band's critically-acclaimed 2008 self-titled debut. It was recorded over the course of a year at Avast Recording, Bear Creek Studios, Dreamland Studios, and Reciprocal Recording. The band co-produced the album along with Phil Ek, who also handled mixing duties.

May 3rd might seem like an awfully long time to wait, so why don't you go ahead and listen to/download the title track below. If you were wondering whether or not the band could match the strength of their older material while maturing, they did.

Fleet Foxes - "Helplessness Blues"


While material on the Sun Giant EP and self-titled LP was certainly majestic and moving, "Helplessness Blues" suggests the band was able to dig even deeper to produce something with stronger roots and more conviction. It's beautiful, uplifting, classic, and, in a way, life-affirming.

A tour in support of the new album has been announced, as well. Dates below.

US Tour

04/30/11 Sat – Vancouver, BC @ The Vogue Theatre
05/01/11 Sun – Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom
05/03/11 Tue – Seattle, WA @ Moore Theatre
05/05/11 Thu – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater
05/06/11 Fri – San Diego, CA @ Spreckels Theatre
05/07/11 Sat – Hollywood, CA @ Hollywood Palladium
05/08/11 Sun – Tucson, AZ @ Rialto Theatre
05/10/11 Tue – Austin, TX @ Stubbs Waller Creek Amphitheater
05/11/11 Wed – Dallas, TX @ Palladium Ballroom
05/13/11 Fri – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
05/14/11 Sat – Atlanta, GA @ The Tabernacle
05/15/11 Sun – Washington, DC @ DAR Constitution Hall
05/17/11 Tue – Boston, MA @ Orpheum Theatre
05/18/11 Wed – New York, NY @ The United Palace Theatre
05/21/11 Sat – Upper Darby, PA @ Tower Theatre

UK and European Tour

05/25/11 Wed – Berlin, Germany @ Astra
05/26/11 Thu – Munich, Germany @ Dachau Summer of Music
05/28/11 Sat – Barcelona, Spain @ Primavera Sound
05/30/11 Mon – Paris, France @ Bataclan
05/31/11 Tue – London, England @ Hammersmith Apollo

Pre-order Helplessness Blues here.