LogFAQs > #955567254

162. Fleet Foxes White Winter Hymnal (2008)
from the album Fleet Foxes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrQRS40OKNE

Key lyrics:
And, Michael, you would fall and turn the white snow
Red as strawberries in the summertime

After being an almost quintessential element of popular music during the rise of rock, the presence of harmonies faded over time. I am not certain of the cause, whether it be declining popularity or artists simply turning their attention elsewhere. Whatever the case, the late 2000s saw a minor explosion of bands prioritizing harmony, from the bizzaro world of Animal Collective to the straight-laced sound of Grizzly Bear. Fleet Foxes debut album remains the true standout of this era, fusing lovely harmonies with some of the densest folk music around. It was at once modern and archaic, lushly produced while suggesting Appalachian folk of a mythical variety.

White Winter Hymnal is a short burst which highlights all their best elements. The song begins with a truncated phrase repeated over and over, more voices piling in before the chorus is finally allowed to continue with perfect harmony. The lyrics consist of beautifully detailed imagery which prove difficult to decipher, creating an atmosphere both nostalgic and sad. Between the three repetitions of the chorus, the band erupts in non-lyrical harmonizing, a bombastic sound suggesting emotions too powerful to express with words. And then we reach the final chorus, the instrumentation fading away to let the voices alone carry us through the bittersweet ending. Despite its brief length, White Winter Hymnal suggests a majestic tale of love and loss.

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My top 100 games (with write-ups): https://foolfantastic.com/top-100-video-games-project/