Merry Christmas – “Forest of Bones”

Merry Christmas have unleashed something wonderfully endearing with their ambitious new concept album. Released on the 1st of August, The Night the Night Fell is the Tokyo-based five-piece’s debut full-length, a quirky pop opera which tells the story of a girl trapped in a coma.

Included in the track listing is the catchy and colorful “Forest of Bones”, a tune that showcases the band’s immaculate world-building abilities. Warm trombones and tinny glockenspiels give way to an eccentric fuzz folk vibe while some zany time signatures add a vibrant math rock quality to the track.

Sonically, it feels like a meeting of two worlds, which is fitting for a song about a girl trapped in the crossroads between being comatose and awake. “Forest of Bones” really allows the band’s character to shine through as well. The chirpy chord organ gives the song playfulness, as does a clever lyrical pun in the last line. With a sound that’s as festive as the band’s name suggests, Merry Christmas meld genres with ease, shaping sounds into something uniquely their own.

Stream “Forest of Bones” below.

Derek Tate

Derek is a writer, record collector, gardener, and all-around music lover. He lives in Iowa with his plants and his dog, Toby.