Bon Iver

Bon Iver, Bon Iver

Vernon re-accesses that potent sense of self on Bon Iver, a stunning sophomore set whose landscape-painting cover art underscores the idea that his songs inhabit their own psychological space.

Justin Vernon and his crew have changed things up here for sure, but the results are every bit as beautiful as you might expect.

It is undeniably an album about “growth,” and it has a way of pushing you out of your comfort zone.

Bon Iver embarks on a sustainable new direction for the band and is evidence of a successful transition from one-off wonder to durable outfit.

It's a logical progression from Emma, and one that few artists have been able to make. Most try to return to their wallowing, to mine the same material that connected them with their audience in the first place. But Vernon deserves tremendous credit for wanting to express his hope and his joy.

Vernon’s taken the ingredients that made For Emma transcend its bedroom folkie origins and fly – the hushed, multi-tracked falsetto vocals, the indelible melodies, the evocative, heartbroken lyrics – and expanded upon them.

For much of Bon Iver, Vernon takes his cues from Volcano Choir, using an array of disparate instrumentation and looping effects to beautifully eerie effect.

It makes these ten tracks slightly less immediate, but just as moving. A wonderful, worthy follow-up.

The project is no longer shackled to the minimal, one-man strum of For Emma, but it's all the more beautiful and heart-rending. 

It is, upon first listen, an undeniably beautiful record. But how that beauty was created takes some time to figure out. You need to dive in and untangle these tightly woven parts. You have to weave through the layered vocals to get at the emotional core of these songs.

Vernon's focus has widened but his strange siren song is just as alluring.

It is still a very good album, with some pretty songs, but it lacks For Emma, Forever Ago's sense of balance – of completeness.

Those looking for the raw catharsis of ‘For Emma…’ will need to cop their misery fix elsewhere – ‘Bon Iver’ is the sound of a man making peace with the world, saxophones and all.

The ideas on Bon Iver — Colin Stetson's shimmery horn parts, Rob Moose's elegant arrangements — are engaging even when they don't lead anywhere, and the music is beautiful, even when it veers into schmaltz.

Bon Iver represents the full, sweeping scale of what Vernon intended in the first place, this time with his touring band in tow.

Despite its hype, its expectations, its blown up sound, and its many production flourishes, Bon Iver is nothing more than a solid placeholder album.

Just because we've got a ton of new sounds doesn't mean they've been arranged or mixed all that well.

Though he can be praised for not just copying himself and trying to progress, to be honest, For Emma, Pt. 2 would have been far more satisfying than this overblown debacle.