In the middle of a nostalgic discussion of Freddie Mercury and the sadly absent Great Frontmen of today's rock and roll, Spin.com's Abigail Everdell tosses a mild-to-moderate barb in the Fleet Foxes' direction: "Many talented singers today don't have the presence or style to distinguish themselves as lasting personalities. I'd group most honey-throated folk singers in here (think Fleet Foxes' Robin Pecknold singing for thousands while slouching in a chair)..." Zing! See what she did there? The group's eponymous debut full-length has received almost unanimous accolades in the national press, but this Seattlest has remained unconvinced that the Foxes should be granted top-tier, all-time awesome/exciting status--and it looks like Everdell agrees. more ›

Ellen Carpenter over at SPIN.com makes a great point: plaid is so, so in these days. Look at that Robin Pecknold from Fleet Foxes (pictured), Tom Hobden from Noah And The Whale, or J. Tillman! Something about the gentle, guitar-stroking, whiskered man just screams "I'm humble and gruff, yet still empathetic. And I probably smell like cedar, if you get close enough." Riffs Carpenter after a Fleet Foxes show,

I could have overlooked their militantly woodsy ensembles--they are from the Pacific Northwest, after all--if half of the audience hadn’t been rocking the same look. It seemed like a joke, like one of those Improv Everywhere missions. A flash mob: Lumbercon!