Bon Iver - Bon Iver

Wisconsin Gem Justin Vernon releases Bon Iver – Bon Iver, a truly wonderful album. If you are already confused, no worries. It is indeed confusing. Justin Vernon and his band mates Sean Carey, Michael Noyce, and Matthew McCaughan make up the indie folk band Bon Iver. Which also happens to be the album’s name…repeated twice, with a dash.

Justin Vernon and his mates stay very true to their sound on this album. Unlike many artists who try to fit into molds that simply aren’t for them, Bon Iver (the band) knows their sound and continues to refine it creating a distinguished piece of art. Simple music with great builds through electric guitar, marching drums and brass along with outstanding lyrics is what drives their sound, creating an enchanting album like Bon Iver- Bon Iver. It’s refreshing to hear music that has such a soothing sound, yet imbues such a fulfilling feeling. Vernon’s voice and choices of harmonies almost want to put me to sleep, but in the best of ways. His music is serene, but very powerful at the same time. Appropriate to its name, Bon Iver (the band) based off the French phrase bon hiver meaning “good winter” gives that cozy winter feel, even in the heat of the soon to be summer.

Music aside, Vernon’s lyrics is what caught me on Bon Iver – Bon Iver.  The lyrics to this album were released May 19^th via Twitter and immediately I began to read. Taking away all sound and reading the black and white words these song lyrics became honest poetry.  Even without the help of his beautiful sound I was still interested in what his music had to say. Songs like Towers, Michicant, and Wash painted stories that though I could not quite grasp in full, I could feel. Even though I was not allowed to know the full stories, the intricate words and details brought me to the emotion of the lyrics.

Here are the lyrics to Wash:

Wash.

climb

is all we know

when thaw

is not below us

no, can’t grow up

in that iron ground

Claire, all too sore for sound

bet

is hardly shown

scraped

across the foam
like they stole it

and oh, how they hold it

Claire, we nearly forfeit

I… I’m growing like the quickening hues

I… I’m telling darkness from lines on you

over havens fora full and swollen morass, young habitat!

all been living alone, where the ice snap and the hold clast are known

home

we’re savage high

come

we finally cry

oh and we don it

because it’s right

Claire, I was too sore for sight

I… we’re sewing up through the latchet greens

I… un-peel keenness, honey, bean for bean

same white pillar tone as with the bone street sand is thrown where she stashed us at

all been living alone, where the cracks at in the low part of the stoning

(via BonIver twitter)

Though all that is available now is the free download to Calgary (which you should all go get!) You can pre-order Bon Iver- Bon Iver. Release date is set for June 21^st, 2011 for the US and June 20^th 2011 for the UK. In the mean time go listen to their other Album For Emma, Forever Ago and their ep Blood Bank.

This is music from our generation. How insanely lovely, right?

Enjoy, friends.

DOWNLOAD CALGARY @ http://boniver.org/