Crack-Up, Fleet Foxes' long-awaited and highly anticipated third album, comes six years after the release of Helplessness Blues and nearly a decade since the band's self-titled debut. "Rewarding, involving, and meticulous," says the AP, "Crack-Up has been well worth the wait." "Likely to be the most remarkable album you will hear this year," exclaims the Times (UK). "The return of one of the most original bands of this century." Pitchfork calls it "their most complex and compelling album to date."
Fleet Foxes releases Crack-Up, its long-awaited and highly anticipated third album, June 16 on Nonesuch Records. Crack-Up comes six years after the 2011 release of Helplessness Blues and nearly a decade since the band's 2008 self-titled debut.
All eleven of the songs on Crack-Up were written by Robin Pecknold. The album was co-produced by Pecknold and Skyler Skjelset, his longtime bandmate, collaborator, and childhood friend. Crack-Up was recorded at various locations across the United States between July 2016 and January 2017: at Electric Lady Studios, Sear Sound, The Void, Rare Book Room, Avast, and The Unknown. Phil Ek mixed the album, at Sear Sound, and it was mastered by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound. Fleet Foxes is Robin Pecknold (vocals, multi-instrumentalist), Skyler Skjelset (multi-instrumentalist, vocals), Casey Wescott (multi-instrumentalist, vocals), Christian Wargo (multi-instrumentalist, vocals), and Morgan Henderson (multi-instrumentalist).
Fleet Foxes' self-titled debut made a profound impact on the international musical landscape, earning them Uncut's first ever Music Award Prize, and topping numerous "Best of " lists, including Rolling Stone's 100 Best Albums of the 2000's and Pitchfork's 50 Best Albums of 2008. Fleet Foxes is certified Gold in North America and Platinum in both the UK and Australia. The follow-up album Helplessness Blues was met with the same critical praise as its predecessor (MOJO five stars, Rolling Stone four stars, Pitchfork Best New Music); that album debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard Top 200, went Gold in the UK, and earned the band a Grammy nomination.
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Produced by Robin Pecknold and Skyler Skjelset
Mixed By Phil Ek at Sear Sound, New York, New York, January 2017
Mastered By Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound, New York, New York, February 2017
Recorded at:
The Unknown, Anacortes, Washington, July 2016
Sear Sound, New York, New York, September 2016 to January 2017
Rare Book Room, Brooklyn, New York, September 2016
The Void, Amenia, New York, October 2016
Electric Lady Studios, New York, New York, October 2016
Avast Recording Company, Seattle, Washington, October 2016
Engineered by:
Chris Allen (Sear)
Grant Valentine (Sear)
Owen Mulholland (Sear)
Gabe Wax (Rare Book Room)
Casey Wescott (Avast)
Adam Burd (Avast)
Gosha Usov (Electric Lady)
Beatriz Artola (Electric Lady)
String Quartet on 1, 5, 7, 10 Produced by Jonathan Seale for Mason Jar Music
String Quartet on 1, 10 Written and Arranged by Gabriel Gall
String Quartet on 5, 7 Written by Robin Pecknold and Arranged by Gabriel Gall
Horns Written by Robin Pecknold and Arranged by Andy Clausen
Track 1 contains a Recording of Fleet Foxes’ “White Winter Hymnal” performed by Achievement First University Prep High School Chorus “Phoenix Forte” under the direction of M. Anita Purcell. Track 8 contains elements from “Tezeta” (Traditional) performed by Mulatu Astatke. Licensed Courtesy of Buda Musique.
Design and layout by Ben Tousley and Robin Pecknold
Band portrait by Shawn Brackbill
Paintings by Sean Pecknold and Adi Goodrich
Front/back cover and interior photos by Hiroshi Hamaya
© Keisuke Katano for the Hiroshi Hamaya Estate
Cover: Eroded Sea Cliff at Tōjinbō, Early Winter, Fukui Prefecture, Japan, 1960
Back Cover: Betel Palm Trees, Aoshima Island, Miyazaki, Japan, 1964
Interior: Genbudo Cave, Hyōgo, Japan, 1968
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MUSICIANS
Robin Pecknold, vocals (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11), classical guitar (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11), Dreadnought (1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11), electric guitar (2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11), 12 string acoustic (1, 2, 9, 11), 12 String electric (1, 2, 3, 7, 8), Fender bass (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11), piano (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11), synthesizer (7, 8), Baldwin Electric Harpsichord (2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11), prepared autoharp (2, 5, 9), marimba (2, 4, 9), Moog Minitaur (1, 2, 5, 7, 9, 10), Hammond organ (2, 5, 6), Mellotron (1, 8), train loop (1), water loop (2), Korg drum machine (1, 2), percussion (2, 3, 5, 10), Varispeed (3), footsteps (8, 11), door (1, 8, 11), Memory Man Deluxe (10)
Skyler Skjelset, vocals (5, 9), electric guitar (1, 2, 5), Fender Bass (2), piano (4, 6), synthesizer (2, 4, 5, 8, 9), pencil on paper (2), cicada loop (2), glass harmonica (2), bowed cymbal (4, 11), shamisen (4, 5), percussion (5), programming (2, 4, 5, 6), foley (2, 6), Korg drum machine (7), amplifier noise (7), footsteps (8), Moog Minitaur (8), water harp (9)
Casey Wescott, piano (1), chromatic bells (1, 11), Supercollider Birdsong (1), qraqebs (1, 7), kettledrum (2), programming (1, 2, 7, 11), koto (5), harpsichord (7), blue noise synth (7, 11)
Christian Wargo, vocals (1, 3), bass (1, 7, 10, 11), drum kit (10)
Morgan Henderson, cello (1, 8), qraqebs (1, 7), double bass (1, 7), pitched bass clarinet (1, 11), pitched flute (2), pitched clarinet (2), alto flute (10)
Additional Musicians
Hannah Epperson, violin (1, 2, 3, 5, 11)
Matthew Barrick, drum kit and percussion (1, 2, 3, 5, 9)
Christopher Icasiano, drum kit and percussion (7, 8, 11)
Neal Morgan, drum kit (1, 8)
Brian McPherson, spoken word (1)
Russell Durham, first violin (1, 5, 7, 10)
Jeremy Kittel, second violin (1, 5, 7, 10)
Nicholas Cords, viola (1, 5, 7, 10)
Dave Eggar, cello (1, 5, 7, 10)
The Westerlies:
Andy Clausen, trombone
Willem De Koch, trombone
Zubin Hensler, trumpet
Riley Mulherkar, trumpet
