I’m sure there have been some great British albums released in the last five years, but I can’t think of any off the top of my head. I don’t care where my favourite music comes from but recently my record collection has come to be dominated by North American groups, be they of the folk, indie, rock or dance varieties. The NME inspired British music scene may excel at producing ‘haircut bands’ or supremely overrated pub/dad rock, but for truly original music with depth and edge North America is a veritable goldmine.

Fleet Foxes, the fearsomely bearded Seattle group with hippy pretensions are no exception and their self-titled debut album is one of the year’s best records. Perhaps it’s the wide range of indigenous styles in the U.S. that gives American groups their edge and Fleet Foxes pull together influences ranging from folk, bluegrass, Appalachian, classic rock and Californian pop to produce a glorious synthesis of Americana. They may have impeccable references, Dylan, Fleetwood Mac and the Beach Boys to name but a few, but Fleet Foxes are not a pastiche or a homage to the past. They pull together complicated harmonies, simple melodies and traditional instrumentation to create a sound that references the past but soundtracks the present. Fleet Foxes bring the clarity of a crisp New England dawn and the warmth of a glorious West Coast sunset to the wettest English summer's day.