If you like Fleet Foxes, thank Neil Young too

After reading my post, "If you like Fleet Foxes, thank Crosby, Stills & Nash," alert LTF reader Edley Naylor-Leyland pointed out that Fleet Foxes owe a musical debt to CSN partner Neil Young as well. To quote Naylor-Leyland, "Check out the similarities of Ohio (Young) and Mykonos (Fleet Foxes)- they use the exact same bit of Ohio at about 2min15secs."

So let's all take a listen. First, Neil Young's tragic anthem to the Kent State riot of 1970:



The sound is electric, minor-key heartbreak. But pay special attention to the vocal harmonies in the verse, especially "Gotta get down to it/ Soldiers are cutting us down."

Now listen to "Mykonos" by Fleet Foxes, paying special attention to the bridge around 2:15:



Well, I'll be damned. That is, in fact, the exact same vocal harmony and melody, especailly at "You go wherever you go today." So spot on that it sounds like an intentional homage to Kent State in my ear. Proving yet again that the indie rock so popular today takes great inspiration and sustenance from the classic rock that came before.

Great ear, Edley!

The wisdom of the populace...

The year-end best-of lists will flow in steadily in the next few weeks, and Amazon is early on the bandwagon, declaring Fesit's The Reminder the best album of 2007. But I think the Amazon customers top 100 is actually a little more interesting. The wisdom of the populace ranked Feist at 11th (a more appropriate placing, in my opinion) and included some real surprises, including Neil Young, Pink Martini, Lucinda Williams, and the Once soundtrack, as well as LTF favorites Patty Griffin, Wilco, Amy Winehouse and the Hairspray soundtrack. And that doesn't even cover the top 30.

I have to say, it gives me a whole new faith in democracy when I see that Joni Mitchell, Rufus Wainwright, Colbie Caillat, Spoon, Stevie Nicks, Elliot Smith, and Mavis Staples all made the American public's choice for top 100 albums of 2007.

Check out the list here.

Stay Humble

Nashville singer/songwriter Tyler James hasn't released his debut album yet, so now is a great time to start loving him, while you can still see him in tiny, intimate college venues.

I mean, seriously, check out his list of influences:

"bob dylan, paul simon, paul mccartney, joni mitchell, rainer marie rilke, nick drake, neil young, tom waits, the band, woody allen, jaoa gilberto, bill withers, randy newman, david bowie, mark kozelek, wilco, beck, four tet, jesus christ"

Does it get any better than that? Not in my opinion.

Visit his MySpace page. Or better yet, watch this excellent short film that follows him on tour and chronicles a day in the life of a Nashville singer/songwriter who is working on his first album. The song is "Stay Humble." And I love it.