Photos by Kelly O
To find out if Robin Pecknold's voice and face could effectively seduce and/or sedate members of the animal kingdom like his band Fleet Foxes has already done to millions of human beings, The Stranger went to the Woodland Park Zoo armed with a portable device playing Fleet Foxes' new full-length, Helplessness Blues; the May 2011 issue of Spin with Pecknold on the cover; and a camera. Here are the results of our investigation.
Initial behavior: Foraging for insects on ground.
Reaction to Pecknold on the cover of Spin: No reaction.
Reaction to Helplessness Blues: Subject buries head in small rock enclosure.
Initial behavior: Sitting at water's edge, hands clasped together.
Reaction to Pecknold on the cover of Spin: Subject begins grooming.
Reaction to Helplessness Blues: Subject yawns.
Worth noting: "Siamangs sing so loudly that it can be heard for up to 3 miles," according to the zoo.
Initial behavior: Perching on artificial rock formation.
Reaction to Pecknold on the cover of Spin: Subject stretches, steps down, and retreats to rock enclosure.
Initial behavior: Swimming, waddling.
Reaction to Helplessness Blues: Subject begins grooming itself. Peers appear irritated and retreat.
Reaction to Pecknold on the cover of Spin: Subject wags tail stub. Peers retreat further.
Worth noting: A pack of children continually ram empty stroller into subject-habitat Plexiglass retaining wall. Zoo officials absent.
Initial behavior: Grazing on grass.
Reaction to Pecknold on the cover of Spin: Grazing continues.
Reaction to Helplessness Blues: Subjects cease grazing and retreat to an enclosure.
Initial behavior: Scavenging unidentified debris haphazardly distributed via unidentified zoo employee.
Reaction to Pecknold on the cover of Spin: No reaction.
Reaction to Helplessness Blues: Subject begins following zoo employee in opposite direction of audio source.
Worth noting: "Sometimes wolves howl just for the pleasure of it," according to the zoo.
Initial behavior: Grazing atop modest incline.
Reaction to Pecknold on the cover of Spin: No notable reaction.
Reaction to Helplessness Blues: Initial indifference, but after several minutes of exposure to the audio, female peers engage in affectionate, apparently homosexual, behavior.
Worth noting: Male elk are called bulls, and female elk "favor bulls with large antlers," according to the zoo. The zoo's literature says nothing about the preferences of lesbian elk.
Initial behavior: Minimal.
Reaction to Pecknold on the cover of Spin: Subject takes two steps, then halts.
Reaction to Helplessness Blues: Subject defecates while remaining otherwise stationary.
Worth noting: "A[n elephant] trunk weighs about 400 pounds," according to the zoo, "and is so dexterous that it can pick up a grain of rice."
Initial behavior: Attending hay bale.
Reaction to Pecknold on the cover of Spin: Apparent confusion followed by resumed attendance to hay bale.
Reaction to Helplessness Blues: Subjects take notice of audio and continue feeding.
Worth noting: "A giraffe's tongue is over 18 inches long."
Initial behavior: Strutting.
Reaction to Pecknold on the cover of Spin: Strutting.
Reaction to Helplessness Blues: Strutting.
Initial behavior: Forlornly gazing at visitors through window.
Reaction to Pecknold on the cover of Spin: Forlorn gazing continues.
Reaction to Helplessness Blues: Subject yawns widely and looks away.
Initial behavior: Posing stoically with soiled beard atop outcropping of artificial rock formation.
Reaction to Pecknold on the cover of Spin: Posing stoically with soiled beard atop outcropping of artificial rock formation.
Reaction to Helplessness Blues: Posing stoically with soiled beard atop outcropping of artificial rock formation.
Worth noting: A group of mountain goats is called a band. "One change in bedding position by the most dominant nanny might result in conflicts within the whole band," according to the zoo. 
