Emerging in 2008 to widespread acclaim, Seattle's Fleet Foxes fused earthy, harmony-rich indie folk with a sense of lush pop sophistication that called to mind the late-'60s work of the Beach Boys, the Zombies, and Crosby, Stills, & Nash. Formed two years earlier by high school friends Robin Pecknold (lead vocals/guitar) and Skyler Skjelset (guitar, mandolin, vocals), the band's primary lineup grew to include Casey Wescott (keyboards, mandolin, vocals), Christian Wargo (bass, guitar, vocals), and Nicholas Peterson (drums, vocals). Mixing Baroque pop with elements of classic rock and British folk, the band quickly generated a healthy amount of label interest and caught the attention of local producer Phil Ek, who had previously helmed records by Built to Spill and the Shins. Signing with Sub Pop in early 2008, Fleet Foxes issued the Ek-produced Sun Giant EP followed a few months later by their self-titled debut album. A critical success at home in the U.S., Fleet Foxes fared even better in Europe and the U.K., where the album went platinum and landed atop numerous year-end best-of lists. Shortly after the album's release, Peterson was replaced on drums by singer/songwriter Josh Tillman who would remain with the band for the next four years until reinventing himself as Father John Misty in 2012.nnWith Ek returning as producer, the band began recording sessions for their follow-up LP, seeking a more cohesive, live feel. The resulting album, 2011's Helplessness Blues, expanded on Fleet Foxes' lush sound and was again widely praised by critics, going gold in the U.K. and earning them a Grammy nomination back in the U.S. Following several major tours and the departure of Tillman on drums, the band entered a hiatus made effective by Pecknold's 2014 relocation to New York City, where he enrolled to pursue a degree at Columbia University. Things remained quiet until mid-2016, when it was revealed that the band had returned to the recording studio. In early 2017, it was announced Fleet Foxes had signed with Nonesuch to release their third album, Crack-Up, named after an essay by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Ambitious in scope and bearing a more progressive sound than their earlier work, Crack-Up was released in June 2017. The following year the group celebrated the tenth anniversary of their debut album with the release of First Collection 2006-2009, which brought together their debut album, early EPs, B-sides, and rarities for the first time. ~ Timothy Monger