Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Culture

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

Fleet Foxes First Song From the Forthcoming ‘Crack-Up’ Finds the Band in Fine Form

Terence Praet
By

Fleet Foxes Smiling Press Shot
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Cover art of Crack-Up by Fleet FoxesOn March 7th, Fleet Foxes announced its long-awaited and highly anticipated third album, Crack-Up, which releases in mid-June. The band also unveiled its first piece of new music since 2011’s Helplessness Blues. Titled “Third of May / Ōdaigahara,” the track finds Fleet Foxes picking up from where the band left off six years ago.

Running nearly nine minutes long, “Third of May” is a track of epic proportions powered by piano, electric twelve-string guitar, string quartet, and the group’s trademark sparkling harmonies. It consists of multiple movements and finds the group more confident than ever. The song opens on a vigorous note with with frontman and songwriter Robin Pecknold’s voice projecting loudly and clearly backed by the twelve-string. “Third of May” builds to its climax in the fifth minute before mellowing into an extended coda.

Recommended Videos

When asked about the song’s title in an interview with Pitchfork’s Matthew Strauss, Pecknold offered two sources: “My friend and bandmate Skyler Skjelset’s birthday is May 3, and our album Helplessness Blues was released on May 3, 2011. The song ‘Third of May / Ōdaigahara’ is about my relationship with Skye. It addresses our distance in the years after touring that album, the feeling of having an unresolved, unrequited relationship that is lingering psychologically. Even if some time apart was necessary and progressive for both of us as individuals, I missed our connection, especially the one we had when we were teenagers, and the lyrics for the song grew out of that feeling.”

Upon its release, Fleet Foxes’ self-titled debut made a profound impact on the international musical landscape, earning them Uncut‘s first ever Music Award Prize, and topping numerous “Best of ” lists, including Rolling Stone‘s 100 Best Albums of the 2000’s and Pitchfork‘s 50 Best Albums of 2008. Helplessness Blues received similarly high praise upon its release in 2011, and if “Third of May / Ōdaigahara” is any indication, Crack-Up will as well when it is released on June 16, 2017.

Fleet Foxes - Third of May / Ōdaigahara (Lyric Video)

Fleet Foxes’ “Third of May / Ōdaigahara” is available now on Amazon , iTunes, and Spotify, and Crack-Up comes out on June 16 through Nonesuch Records.

Terence Praet
Terence Praet
Terence Praet contributes to The Manual’s New Music Monday column. He studied Philosophy and History at Skidmore College…
The best Stephen King movies made from Stephen King books (and where to watch them)
If you're scared of clowns or haunted cars, this isn't the list for you

 

The only thing more thrilling than a Stephen King book is a film adapted from one of his novels. The long-time author is one of the most successful writers of his generation, and his spooky, cinematic settings have served as inspiration for some of Hollywood's most esteemed creatives. The best Stephen King movies often use the source material as a basis for the film, and then the directors put their own twist on the story to pull the audience in even more. From Stanley Kubrick to Rob Reiner, famous filmmakers have operated within their own framework to turn otherwise forgotten Stephen King books into some of the most beloved of the last 40 years. These are the best Stephen King movies made from the best Stephen King books. These pictures range from coming-of-age stories to horrifying science fiction classics.

Read more
Brand Profile: How Dr. Squatch went from a viral social media startup to men’s grooming sensation
How Dr Squatch grew from startup to behemoth
Dr. Squatch bundle

"Most guys don't think about what bar of soap they use when they are washing their body. Let's face it, they're probably still using the soap your mommy bought for her little man. Is that what you want? To smell like mommy's little man?"

The opening of many of the advertisements from Dr. Squatch feels less like a commercial and more like a skit that you would actually stay and pay attention to. It reminds us of 20 years ago when Geico introduced the cavemen and kept us watching commercials instead of taking the opportunity to go to the bathroom. It is a soap made for men, according to them, "men who build things, men who open the pickle jar on the first try, and men who catch foul balls without spilling their beer."

Read more
Laundry Sauce will make you want to ditch your old detergent forever [Sponsored]
Laundry Sauce's luxury scented add-ins will spruce up laundry and leave your clothes smelling divine.
Laundry Sauce detergent pods for divine-scented laundry.

Most laundry detergents come in the same boring scents, the same uninspired packaging, and the same goopy, unpleasant format – seriously, what do they put in these bottles? Take a quick stroll down any detergent aisle, and you’ll see and smell a spring breeze, crisp linen, or intense fresh, whatever that means. They use a lot of the same aromas and just slap different names on the labels, too. Sure, doing laundry is a necessity, but surely there’s a way to make it more fun. There must be something better than an “intense” or “crisp” aroma.

Laundry Sauce is changing the game with its luxury-scented laundry pods. Thanks to a collaboration with world-class perfumers and scent artists – hey, that’s what they call them, not me – Laundry Sauce’s high-performance pods are infused with sophisticated scents. These ultra-concentrated pods transform any laundry day into a sensual experience with scents like Australian Sandalwood and Egyptian Rose.

Read more