Sunturns “New Snow” (2022)

EASY Records
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Want a little bit of hope? It can feel like an uphill climb, that is for sure. Thankfully, we have the return of Sunturns, one of the preeminent seasonal supergroups (there are more than one!!). Comprised of members of Monzano, Making Marks, Little Hands of Asphalt, Moddi, and Einar Stray Orchestra, they get together every year or so to record some beautiful, original Christmas music. This year’s release is the absolutely lovely “New Snow,” which features Sjur on vocals, as well as Michael Barrett Donovan on bass and violin, Lars Lundevall (of the deLillos) on guitar, as well as much of the Sunturns crew. The song begins by acknowledging the shit we have all just lived through, but the turn from “puke in the snow” towards the hope of the future is simply wonderful.

I’ve been hitting these blue notes
Now there’s puke in the new snow
I’ve been feeling so down low
These past few years.

I’ve been going through these phases
Where everything changes
and we felt like strangers
These past few years.

But it’s not supposed to be this way
We’re putting it on display
With the darkest observations
there in the light of day.

Here’s a rhetoric
I want you to stay.

Erased it all with a few strokes
Hopeful footprints in new snow.
I’d been getting so down low.
These past few years.

Moving on through the ages
We’ll be up on stages
Singing everything changes
These next few years.

That turn where he sings “Here’s a rhetoric / I want you to stay,” comes with this beautiful brass line… and the tone switch is just gorgeous. Reminds me of the more orchestral leanings of Jens Lekman, which is a wonderful thought to spark. Quite beautiful indeed.

Bottom Line: Sunturns return with that bit of hope we all need.

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