Bon Iver - "Bon Iver"

Artist: Bon Iver
Record: Bon Iver
Label: Jagjaguwar
Release Date: June 21th, 2011
Review by: Sean Kayden

The ubiquitous Justin Vernon returns to his solo venture, Bon Iver for his self-titled sophomore release. In 2008, “For Emma, Forever Ago” was graciously presented to our listening ears. It was a deeply personal, heartwrenching, and desolate record. Justin Vernon has been involved with numerous music acts prior to materializing songs under this moniker. He even did some guest vocals on Kanye West’s previous album. However, the songs under Bon Iver are Justin Vernon’s most compelling and preeminent work. While the direction is faintly down a different path than his debut, Bon Iver’s music has never sounded so tranquil, transcendent and heartrending. Vernon has taken some new liberties with his own artistry and yet nothing presented here feels false or misguided. Every song significantly matters and holds something vastly consequential. Many fans and journalists have vocally and verbally hailed “For Emma, Forever Ago” a modern masterpiece and therefore, Vernon had a lot riding on his latest endeavor. While perfection is difficult to replicate second time around, Vernon may have figured it out. Instead of purely creating a beat-for-beat sequel to his debut, Vernon adds more instruments, higher production values and focuses his songwriting on an entirely different theme. All of this translates to a bigger and arguably more well-rounded soundscape. Bon Iver never overstays his welcome, yet at the same time, you wish he wouldn’t leave. That’s how this new album feels. At just shy of forty minutes, I don’t think there’s anything else you can be utterly inspired by in that period of time.

The music Bon Iver creates is for the fractured soul and wounded heart listener. The confused and perplexed entity will also find meaning and comfort in this resonance. Vernon’s falsetto voice and sincerely powerful lyrics are both as potent as ever. Not only does the record feel like a companion piece to “For Emma, Forever Ago”, but also an entirely new enchantment. The love songs here differ than the ones on the previous record. This time around, he’s writing them not to a girl, but to places. Some places are real ("Lisbon, OH", "Wash.”, “Calgary) and others through Vernon’s own pretenses (“Hinnom, TX") Either the case, these songs will point you in the right direction. No matter where the individual listener may be wandering, they’re bound to reach their personal destination through the aid of these sensitive, cogitating, and marvelous tunes.

The change in both tone and musical arrangements should be wholly embraced because Bon Iver easily stands toe-to-toe with the best records of the year. The scope of Vernon’s focus and creativity has increasingly widened. Fans of the first album might be taken by surprise, but rests assure this unequivocally feels like a Bon Iver record. While it may have a little more bells and whistles and laden vocal effects, the allure is ever so apparent. The tracks here represent pages in one’s own personal journal. Since you have permission to take a peak inside, be prepared for what’s to come. Once you finish page one, you’ll be hooked to find out how this story ends.

Key Tracks: “Minnesota, WI”, “Holocene”, “Wash.”, “Hinnom, TX”
Grade: 9.0 out of 10

Published on June 25th, 2011 by Mountain Views News.
http://mtnviewsnews.com/v05/htm/n26/p11.htm