www.ntnews.com.au Monday, May 9, 2011. NT NEWS. 31

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Fleetingsongs sosublime

Beastie Boys

CD REVIEW

FLEET FOXES

HELPLESSNESS BLUES(Inertia)HHHH

THREE years in the mak-ing, Seattle’s Fleet Foxeshave effortlessly continuedtheir reign as one of mod-ern folk’s best. Failed sess-ions and lost loves foundfrontman Robin Pecknoldputting more on the linethan just the reputation ofthe band’s fabulous debuteffort but it has yieldedmagical results.It’s a slow burner but FleetFoxes’ latest is sun-soakedfolk with the band’s unmis-takable harmonies andbitter-sweet hooks. Simply,there is nothing helplessabout this release.

BEASTIE BOYS

HOT SAUCE COMMIT-TEE PART TWO (EMI)HHHH

OF ALL the sounds BeastieBoys have messed withthroughout the years —rap, Latin, hardcore,lounge — they’ve neversounded so sun-kissed andCaribbean as they do onDon’t Play No Game That ICan’t Win.It’s a song Mike D saysthey struggled with, onlyfinding the right vibewhen guest vocalistSantigold joined them inthe studio.The struggle was worth it16 times over on Hot SauceCommittee Part Two — thisis the Beastie Boys at theirmost vital, engaged andsurprising. The hair maybe greying, but these Boysstill have fresh noise.