Shore

After casting his net wide with 2017's progressive and intellectually challenging Crack-Up, Robin Pecknold moves into more relatable territory on Shore, Fleet Foxes' winsome fourth outing. Blossoming with artistic growth after a six-year hiatus, Crack-Up saw the Seattle native flexing his academic muscle, leading the band through complex multi-part suites that, while often breathtaking, also roiled with the brine of troubled waters. Released to the public on the exact moment of 2020's autumnal equinox with only a day's advance notice, Shore's comparative tranquility plays almost like a reaction to its predecessor. However, far from a retreat to the earnest halcyon days of Fleet Foxes' first two albums, it stands firmly on the other side of Crack-Up both in sequence and emotional maturity. Whether intentionally linked to its thematic date of release or not, Shore's 15 songs and accompanying album-length 16mm art film thrive in a fertile tone of Indian summer liminality where darkness lu