Mykonos is a song by American indie folk band Fleet Foxes, from their second EP Sun Giant (2008). It was released in the UK on January 27, 2009, by European label Bella Union; in the format of 7" vinyl as well as a digital download, and peaked at number 51[2] on the UK Singles Chart. The B-side is a live version of "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song" from their debut album. On May 5, 2009, it was released in the U.S. on Seattle-based record label Sub Pop, with the song "False Knight On the Road" in place of "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song". An alternate version of the song, with a track length of 3:39, was released on the deluxe version of their debut album Fleet Foxes.
| "Mykonos" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Fleet Foxes | ||||
| from the album Sun Giant | ||||
| B-side |
| |||
| Released | January 27, 2009 (UK version) May 5, 2009 (US version) | |||
| Recorded | 2007 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 4:35 | |||
| Label | Bella Union; Sub Pop | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Robin Pecknold | |||
| Producer(s) | Phil Ek | |||
| Fleet Foxes singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Mykonos" on YouTube | ||||
Track listing
editAll songs written by Robin Pecknold.
- UK version
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Mykonos" | 4:35 |
| 2. | "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song (live)" | 3:55 |
- US version
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Mykonos" | 4:35 |
| 2. | "False Knight on the Road" | 3:46 |
Music video
editA music video was made for "Mykonos", and was directed by Sean Pecknold, singer Robin Pecknold's brother.[3] It is entirely animated and is described by Pitchfork.tv as:
"[The]... video imagines a fluid universe filled with triangles, castles and barbershop mustaches. It's a little playful... and a little creepy."
It depicts a pair of small origami triangles (representing feet) on an adventure through a world made solely of paper. They begin, sliding and falling downwards, onto various objects and buildings which collapse shortly after. As this happens, an evil face appears in the background, whose eyes follow the triangles. Eventually, the triangles find a bird, upon whose back they ride above the clouds, only to fall again and end up in a dark forest filled with long, thin legs walking around. They then enter a flying machine, and encounter a tall figure, which they push over a cliff, to fall with it, watched by rows of eyes. As the song slows, they continue to fall, into a fortress in which the figures walk along high walkways. It appears to be the home of the face, which is promptly destroyed by the triangles, who flee the collapsing fortress. The song fades as the triangles sink into the sea.
Reception
editBillboard magazine said that "the second half of 'Mykonos' is salvation for the ears".[4] The New York Times said of the track that there are moments when "the band members' high, honeyed voices melded into an imperfect swell reminiscent of the kind of church choir John and Alan Lomax might have captured with their 500-pound recording machine."[5]
References
edit- ^ a b Bradley, Larry (November 4, 2014). "The 2000s: Fleet Foxes - "Mykonos". The Alternative Jukebox. Cassell. p. 265. ISBN 978-1-84403-789-6.
- ^ http://www.theofficialcharts.com/top40_singles.php UK Top 100 Singles Chart
- ^ "Fleet Foxes: Mykonos | Pitchfork.tv". pitchfork.tv. Archived from the original on 8 February 2009. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
- ^ Cohen, Jonathan (April 12, 2008), "Sun Giant". Billboard. 120 (15):42
- ^ PETRUSICH, AMANDA (July 11, 2008), "Folk Tales From The Seattle Woods". New York Times.:3