Release Date: 2008
Label: Sub Pop

Take away TV on the Radio, the new Lil’ Wayne and that Radiohead album, and it becomes clear why Fleet Foxes dominated last year’s countless ‘Best of’ lists. Though, it still remains difficult for anyone to compare the band’s two ‘08 releases, Fleet Foxes and Sun Giant. Given that Sun Giant is an EP, press released lists compacted the two records into one entry, but only with careful consideration could I root out the true gem of the duo.

Sun Giant’s tone ranges from the ambient humming of singer Robin Pecknold to the bouncing mandolin that rests on his knees. The album’s title track kicks off the record with a haunting a cappella, hymn-like tune dictating the singer’s own seasonal lifestyles: “What a life I lead when the sun breaks free/ As a giant torn from the clouds/ What a life indeed when that ancient seed is a berry watered and plowed.” As a follow up, “Drops in the River” concentrates more on the album’s slow but surely rising climax -a climax that can be both riveting and comfortably tense.

The things to keep in mind while listening to Sun Giant are really up to you. I’m prone to feel more isolated and at ease when I throw this record on, but there are still several things one can derive from the album itself. What makes Fleet Foxes’ sound so distinct is the beautiful atmosphere in their songs and the landscapes the music creates in your mind. Rich with vocal harmonies, calming sounds that create gorgeous pictures in your mind, and a general catchy sound that extracts from their folky-pop influences, it’s a fairly accessible format. However, this doesn’t alter the album’s quality or triumph in not sounding overproduced or dry: a true jewel of the sort.

Cool stuff to check out:
“White Winter Hymnal”
Myspace
The secret link