A successful debut record can become both a blessing and a curse for an indie band that is trying to make a name for itself. A praised freshman effort is every musician’s dream, but with that comes an expectation to put out even better records in the future. If the subsequent music compares to that first album, the band lives on, but if it doesn’t, the name fizzles out and is pushed aside for more relevant acts. The amount of pressure for a superior sophomore release is undoubtedly measured by the magnitude of the first album’s success, and for Seattle-based Fleet Foxes, that second album needed to be damned near perfect.

Lucky for them (and us), the scruffy songsmiths were able to produce a sophomore record that is up to par with their breathtaking 2008 self-titled debut. The Sub Pop/Bella Union release, Helplessness Blues, showcases all the elements that made everyone start blogging about the quintet in the first place—gorgeous choral harmonies; narrative lyrical writing; large, sweeping woodsy guitar riffs and percussion—but the flannel-clad folk-rockers added a few new flares to their sound as well (because no one wants to hear an album that’s nothing more than an extension of the last), the most apparent being an Eastern influence. This foreign lilt can be found in “Bedouin Dress” and the eight-minute-long epic “The Shrine/An Argument,” where acoustic guitar riffs and pounding drums accompany zithers, Tibetan singing bowls and marxophones.

The largest difference between this album and the first is the vocal structure. Where on Fleet Foxes all five voices of the band were heard and in the forefront, creating mesmerizing choral harmonies that soared over their instrumental counterparts, Helplessness Blues features one: Robin Pecknold. That’s not to say that there aren’t any vocal harmonies in this album—there’s a moment in “Montezuma” where the instruments halt and we are left listening to Pecknold belt it out with the rest of the Foxes “oohing” and “aahing” behind him—but the problem is they are in the background. At times this album feels more like a solo effort by Pecknold than a collective piece, which is okay because Pecknold is phenomenally talented; however, we all fell in love with Fleet Foxes not Fleet Fox, so hopefully that togetherness will prevail in albums to come.

The Fleet Foxes are touring now, and shows are selling out around the country, so act fast if you want to see them. Click HERE for show dates & ticket info.