#5. 22, A Million
By: Bon Iver
Bon Iver is such a enigmatic entity that it would be foolish to sit and wait for new material; you could be waiting years. That’s why it is such a event when Justin Vernon actually blesses us earth folk with more of his ethereal falsetto. Bon Iver, though only three albums in, have made significant leaps with each outing. Record one was an eerie log cabin confessional; the second introduced a more rounded band sound, complete with electric instruments; and with 22, A Million, Vernon jumps into the future of mournful crooning. While I would not go so far as to say the album invents a new genre, I certainly feel confident saying he has introduced new sounds to the world of music. And with new sounds come new ways to convey emotion, new ways to feel. While Vernon’s angelic voice is often disguised, morphed into distorted noise, his songs speak of sadness and longing that is far from alien.
Key Track:
“33 %GOD%” - “These will just be places to me now,” Vernon sings. Every Bon Iver lyric, indecipherable as they are, can be interpreted differently with each listen. Could he be speaking of his ever-expanding sound? People that he passes by? Who knows. I hear something new every time. That’s not even mentioning what is certainly the most dynamic musical arrangement on the album.
By: Bon Iver
Bon Iver is such a enigmatic entity that it would be foolish to sit and wait for new material; you could be waiting years. That’s why it is such a event when Justin Vernon actually blesses us earth folk with more of his ethereal falsetto. Bon Iver, though only three albums in, have made significant leaps with each outing. Record one was an eerie log cabin confessional; the second introduced a more rounded band sound, complete with electric instruments; and with 22, A Million, Vernon jumps into the future of mournful crooning. While I would not go so far as to say the album invents a new genre, I certainly feel confident saying he has introduced new sounds to the world of music. And with new sounds come new ways to convey emotion, new ways to feel. While Vernon’s angelic voice is often disguised, morphed into distorted noise, his songs speak of sadness and longing that is far from alien.
Key Track:
“33 %GOD%” - “These will just be places to me now,” Vernon sings. Every Bon Iver lyric, indecipherable as they are, can be interpreted differently with each listen. Could he be speaking of his ever-expanding sound? People that he passes by? Who knows. I hear something new every time. That’s not even mentioning what is certainly the most dynamic musical arrangement on the album.