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Editorial Reviews
Bon Iver's Bon Iver is Justin Vernon returning to former haunts with a new spirit. The reprises are there – solitude, quietude, hope and desperation compressed – but always a rhythm arises, a pulse vivified by gratitude and grace notes. The winter, the legend, has faded to just that, and this is the new momentary present. The icicles have dropped, rising up again as grass.
Customer Reviews
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
109 of 122 people found the following review helpful
By Andrew Vice
Format:Audio CD
Well damn, this is a changeup. Vernon has taken a huge (and very ballsy) step in releasing this record under the same name as 2008's brilliant For Emma, Forever Ago, which is more or less the polar opposite of this year's self-titled record. Where For Emma was a hushed set of crystalline dirges, Bon Iver is absolutely exploding with sounds and instrumentation and ideas. For Emma was the sound of a man and his guitar, pouring out his heart and purging the demons that haunt him, but Bon Iver is the logical follow-up: the purge was successful and now Vernon has a fresh heart and soul to express more than just the idea of pain and hurt. I get why For Emma fans are not necessarily huge fans of this record, but just as Burst Apart was the logical step forward from Hospice, so too is Bon Iver the progression from the cocoon of For Emma. You absolutely have to come into this record with an open mind and not expect for it to sound like For Emma, but if you can do that, you'll find Vernon's aggressive use of instrumentation and melody to be compelling and, ultimately, stellar. On Bon Iver, Vernon has shown us that he can do far more than make us cry, and he does it all so well it's almost hard to believe.
55 of 65 people found the following review helpful
By M. Morris
Format:MP3 Music|Amazon Verified Purchase
Some of these reviews are hilariously awesome. I love the funny stuff people say when they hate something so much! I dig the album. Gorgeous and textured. Mature and melodic. It kind of just rolls out of the speakers without you really knowing when one track ends and the next begins. The lyrics are nearly indecipherable. The song names are gibberish. Call it overproduced or whatever, but what does that really mean. It's beautiful music. His previous stuff was great too. Who cares if this is different. Don't get so attached to what you think an artist should sound like - you'll only end up disappointed. I do think the last track is a bit of a trip. Jimmy Fallon busted his chops for it - comparing it to Bruce Hornsby. I can't disagree with that simple but fairly accurate comparison. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
36 of 44 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Just listened all the way through and I freakin love it!
Not sure why so many do not but I enjoyed the listening experience immensely!
I own all of his previous work and enjoyed this new offering by vernon simply because it was a bit different. And though different it still sounded very much like his own.
I say buy it and love it unless you just enjoyed the emma album b/c of it's distinct rustic sound. If you love Justin Vernon I don't see how you could be disappointed with this album.
Not sure why so many do not but I enjoyed the listening experience immensely!
I own all of his previous work and enjoyed this new offering by vernon simply because it was a bit different. And though different it still sounded very much like his own.
I say buy it and love it unless you just enjoyed the emma album b/c of it's distinct rustic sound. If you love Justin Vernon I don't see how you could be disappointed with this album.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
These songs are excellent in their own ways, but in particular I would like to call your attention to "Holocene," which is, simply put, heartbreaking. I don't have a clue what the lyrics are saying, nor do I even think Bon Iver has figured it out, but the the falling chords and the tide-like ebb tell me everything I need to know.
The fascinating thing about Bon Iver is that he doesn't "write" songs as much as let songs write themselves. He starts by humming sounds that feel right and only later does he try to fit words to those sounds. ("And at once I knew I was not magnificent / strayed above the highway aisle / jagged vacance, thick with ice[?]") The result is often mildly psychedelic and even that awful word "experimental," but it doesn't collapse under abstraction and randomness like most experimental music because it's grounded in the great progenitor of great music: feeling. It even magnifies or more directly channels feeling because it skips that whole part about trying to make sense.
Rather than putting music on paper through brute force, Bon Iver puts himself at the service of music. Rather than listening to Bon Iver, we're listening to sadness and longing themselves. To understand why this matters, you've got to close your eyes and press play.
The fascinating thing about Bon Iver is that he doesn't "write" songs as much as let songs write themselves. He starts by humming sounds that feel right and only later does he try to fit words to those sounds. ("And at once I knew I was not magnificent / strayed above the highway aisle / jagged vacance, thick with ice[?]") The result is often mildly psychedelic and even that awful word "experimental," but it doesn't collapse under abstraction and randomness like most experimental music because it's grounded in the great progenitor of great music: feeling. It even magnifies or more directly channels feeling because it skips that whole part about trying to make sense.
Rather than putting music on paper through brute force, Bon Iver puts himself at the service of music. Rather than listening to Bon Iver, we're listening to sadness and longing themselves. To understand why this matters, you've got to close your eyes and press play.
18 of 24 people found the following review helpful
By B. Alexander
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I listened to this album for the first time a few days ago, and I could barely make it through to the end. The musicianship, intimacy and genuine emotions of "For Emma, Forever Ago", have been replaced with bland, constrained, indifferent, affected elevator music. A few moments here and there started to spark my interest for a moment, then the songs would just kind of fade away. As I grow older, music with no backbone or heart has become much easier to detect. It will be hard for me to find time to listen to this album again, as it feels like a waste of time. Again, this is only my opinion.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By bsteinwr
Format:Vinyl|Amazon Verified Purchase
To every review dripping with arrogant, ignorant, blasphemous hipster snark, please save it. This album is a veritable masterpiece. Justin takes musical textures from the days before digital instruments (much like For Emma) and combines them with textures found more in 80s and modern music, like a REAL synthesizer (It's an instrument. One that you play. It's a Moog, not a computer) and a handful of auto-tuned vocals. He has proven with "Woods" that effects can be used artfully. This is a step forward that he obviously knew all the "retro revivalist," Urban Outfitters hipsters would hate, and I like that. Regarding the songs, they're just gorgeous. Perth is one of my favorites, with beautifully warm electric guitars and striking melodies. The next few tracks continue to cascade over the listener a lush wall of sound that transports you to other musical worlds. That's the point of listening to music, isn't it? Anyway, Holocene is just perfect. The piezo guitar is the first acoustic-electric guitar since the Smiths that I actually thought worked. All of the studio musicians played their instruments, not computers, and the layers of sound make it a really memorable record. In my opinion, For Emma will always be the classic, but to compare the two would be unfair. They are both works of art, with different sonic stories to tell. Stop being arrogant, and ignore the hipsters who refuse to listen, and get yourself a nice vinyl copy (it sounds great). You won't regret a cent.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sting Meets Dave Matthews Band? It works very well!!
If Sting (from "The Dream of Blue Turtles" era) sat in with The Dave Matthews Band (during "Crash") this would be the result. Read more
Published 10 days ago by Ravman
3.0 out of 5 stars
Great Album, Poor Quality
Even after running a carbon fiber brush over the album, it still would pop and crackle. I'm going to try washing it, but it shouldnt sound this bad for a new album. Read more
Published 24 days ago by Stephanie
5.0 out of 5 stars
A drastic change but still Bon Iver
I was eager to hear what Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) had up his sleeve after the quiet and haunting For Emma album. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Justin
3.0 out of 5 stars
Vinyl pressing - 5* for the music, 2* for the vinyl.
At this point, if you're looking at this page, you probably already know who Bon Iver are. The music is great and I was extremely excited to get this album on vinyl, as it seems to... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Ryan A. Crawford
3.0 out of 5 stars
I like it, but its not fantastic
I keep forgetting i even have this album but first time listening was "its ok". Maybe it needs more listening?, if I remember.
Published 1 month ago by Natalia
4.0 out of 5 stars
Complex, Angelic, Slick
The enjoyability factor of Bon Iver comes through in how hushed this album is. The melodies are there,the song structures are fragmented, but ultimately gel and add the body to... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Riveted
3.0 out of 5 stars
Bon Iver is for selective tastes
I enjoyed his vocals but the overall ambiance of the album was a little slow. Some of the songs seem to drag on without any build up to the chorus. Leaves you wanting more.
Published 1 month ago by momo1276
4.0 out of 5 stars
Sleepy, so sleepy
Great album to have on in the background when you're trying to lull yourself to sleep or if you're just trying to get some work done. Like right now. Read more
Published 3 months ago by O
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great
Bon Iver is a very unique sound, and is definitely "headphones" music. If you listen to the song clips and are intrigued, then chances are you'll quickly love this album... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Eric
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great
Rapide et sérieux,a conseiller.le vinyl est identique à sa description,l'emballage est de qualité:rien a craindre! La communication est efficace et simple
Published 3 months ago by Pierre Ebran
