As most bands I listen to, my dad was the one who first introduced me to Fleet Foxes—I learned from the best. Like all providential music discoveries in the early 2000s, his sister’s friend included it on a CD mix that she then gifted to him. I grew up listening to that same CD in car rides during the fall. I would get the melodies stuck in my head on loop, not even registering what the lyrics were half the time. I could never get tired of them and Fleet Foxes became synonymous with nostalgia.
Nowadays I don’t listen to them at all during spring or summer. It just feels wrong. The minute I see a leaf change color, though, Fleet Foxes starts playing on a near constant loop.
Most people know Fleet Foxes because of Pentatonix’s cover of White Winter Hymnal. Pentatonix ruined the song for me, and White Winter Hymnal is one of the band’s best. If this is your only knowledge of Fleet Foxes, never think about Pentatonix again and go watch the original music video of White Winter Hymnal— especially if you love Fantastic Mr. Fox, or stop motion animation in general. The passage of time and the deep loss that comes with it is encapsulated by the change of seasons in the video; it’s the core of why Fleet Foxes is so seasonal and special to me.
My association between Fleet Foxes and fall isn’t entirely born out of nostalgia (though, that is how it started) so the music itself must be doing something to create the picture. Robin Pecknold, the lead singer, guitarist, and mastermind behind the band, is detailed enough with his musical style that the rich imagery is probably intentional. The band itself has undergone many changes as members are constantly shifting, and the style has changed significantly since 2011 when they released their sophomore album Helplessness Blues.
This album and Fleet Foxes (the debut album) are what truly shape the band. Crack-Up, released after a 6-year hiatus, is an interesting transitional point, and Shore (along with the live album A Very Lonely Solstice) is a beautifully intimate album with an accompanying short film for all you Letterboxd users reading. However, those works feel separated from the first two albums by more than just time and personal differences, although they both encompass fall. Shore was released on the exact minute of the 2020 autumnal equinox. Nevertheless, those earlier releases are so tightly orchestrated in their aesthetics and their novelty really contributes a lot to their genius.
The appeal of fall as nearly every artsy person’s favorite season can be explained by its rich imagery and aesthetics: pumpkins, apple cider, sweaters, crunchy leaves, Gilmore Girls, warm color palettes, chunky knits… the list is never ending. Fleet Foxes contributes to and upholds this imagery. The album covers themselves are works of art. The first album shows a warm medieval painting of various mishaps and slapstick gags (I dare you to spot all the butts!). The second album has that fall color palette, landscape background, and even a black cat. Both covers are so rich in images and small details to pick out, and this is just where the aesthetics start; the music adds layer upon layer of new sounds to discover.
Before even getting to the sound of the music, fall is evident in every part of the narrative Fleet Foxes creates. Pecknold talks about green apples and orchards and woods and fantastical scenes, giving life to his music and transporting the listener somewhere new. The echoey vocals encompass you and bring you into the music completely. The whole time, his complex arrangement style holds your attention until you get addicted.
Beyond imagery, fall is all about change. You’re never sure when the season will really start, so you have to let go of the expectation and just enjoy the beauty when it chooses to —just like Fleet Foxes songs. While the lyrics do have a narrative style, I’m not the type of person to listen to lyrics first. Even so, the songs still have a narrative even if you don’t pay attention to lyrics. The instrumentation underneath is ever-changing. There are repeated, anticipated sections, but the heavy, abrupt transitions highlight a contrast with the instrumentation and many layers of vocals. Beyond the sounds, volumes, and tempos change as well. “The Shrine/An Argument”, starts off relatively structured, with a discernible repetition of verse and chorus. Underneath it all, though, Pecknold takes his listener on a journey from soft to loud chaos, finally ending with peace. Then the song transitions to “Blue Spotted Tail” and suddenly, the leaves are at their peak. It is beautiful because it is simple, and its simplicity wouldn’t be appreciated if there wasn’t chaos immediately before.
On the other hand, some songs start more quiet and comfortably beautiful like “Your Protector”. It eases me into a place of wonder in my own imagination and takes me on a journey across stormy waves or through branches that swing and prickers that catch on my skin. Other songs like the opening track, “Sun It Rises”, are so rich and unique that they remind me of specific images. Its introduction reminds me of Over the Garden Wall, which is a staple of fall for many (and if it’s not you should make it one).
Between the complex instrumentation, layers and layers of vocal harmonies, and narrative lyrics, Fleet Foxes will take you somewhere you’ve never been before, guiding you through the forest until you look up and the leaves are at their peak.
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