If melodic indie rock is very much in vogue, then its new masters are Seattle’s Fleet Foxes… Nothing can quite prepare you for the sheer beauty of the band’s harmonic sound. During their live shows there are moments of sweeping grandeur, near-medieval melodies and folk narratives, their intensity exemplified by the gargantuan, harmony-soaked White Winter Hymnal. The band’s debut album confirms the arrival of America’s next great band. Indie rock is undergoing a folk renaissance, and that has spawned some great harmony singing. Add a host of unlikely instruments and the results are stunning. Lead singer and songwriter Robin Pecknold creates melodies that are – like all great pop – simultaneously familiar and unique, sounding like they’ve just fallen from the sky, and utterly unashamed of beauty. It’s hard to imagine pop music as perfectly formed as this. Fleet Foxes sound fantastic! This show is definitely not to be missed in 2009!