By Deiondra Montano, Ad Editor
http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/22420-22-a-million/
Bon Iver is an American indie folk band that formed in Fall Creek, Wisconsin in 2007. The band is currently dominating the alternative charts with their unusual and unique tunes. The band consists of Justin Vernon (vocals, guitar and keyboard), Sean Carey (drums and keyboard), Matthew McCaughan (drums and vocals), and Michael Lewis (bass and saxophone). They have released three albums, and one EP (extended play) through the labels Jagjaguwar and 4AD. The most recent album, 22, A Million was released on September 30th and debuted at number two in the Billboard Top 200. The band’s lyrics capture personal crisis and displays a self-aware perspective.
Lead singer, and creative force behind the band, Justin Vernon, used a variety of different symbols in the track titles and the cover artwork. The music on the new album is also a departure from the more “folk-y” sounds of earlier albums.
When lead singer Justin Vernon was interviewed by Pitchfork, he was asked about the reasoning behind his whole change up. He said: “I think it’s that thing of wanting to bash things apart a little bit and break through some stuff. And I needed it to sound a little radical to feel good about putting something out in the world. For me, it’s not embarrassing, but the old records are of this kind of sad nature--I was healing myself through that stuff. And being sad about something is okay. And then wallowing in it, circling the same cycles emotionally just feels boring. For this one, there’s still some dark stuff and whatever, but I think cracking things, making things that are bombastic and exciting and also new, and mashing things together, and explosiveness and kind of shouting more — I think that was more of the zone. Shouting. Whispering was the thing, maybe, before. And maybe next time will be, maybe some black metal [stuff].”
One of my favorite songs from the album, “29 #Strafford APTS” is about getting over hardships and moving on “Sure as any living dream/It’s not all then what it seems.” The narrative explains that just because we assume things doesn’t mean they’re always true and we never will really know how things are on the inside of certain situations. “Fold the map and mend the gap/And I tow the word companion/And I make my self escape.” This is a personal reminder to move forward, even through disorienting times and to start focusing on himself to find his inner peace instead of letting his past drag him down like an anchor.
The band has changed a lot over the past years, for they have lost interest in an established and easily deciphered form. Behind the fluttery glitches and processed voices are deep, but idiosyncratic, songs about uncertainty. If you’re interested in the Irish singer-songwriter, James Vincent McMorrow, English singer-songwriter, James Blake and the American singer-songwriter, Iron and Wine, then you should definitely check out Bon Iver.
Lead singer, and creative force behind the band, Justin Vernon, used a variety of different symbols in the track titles and the cover artwork. The music on the new album is also a departure from the more “folk-y” sounds of earlier albums.
When lead singer Justin Vernon was interviewed by Pitchfork, he was asked about the reasoning behind his whole change up. He said: “I think it’s that thing of wanting to bash things apart a little bit and break through some stuff. And I needed it to sound a little radical to feel good about putting something out in the world. For me, it’s not embarrassing, but the old records are of this kind of sad nature--I was healing myself through that stuff. And being sad about something is okay. And then wallowing in it, circling the same cycles emotionally just feels boring. For this one, there’s still some dark stuff and whatever, but I think cracking things, making things that are bombastic and exciting and also new, and mashing things together, and explosiveness and kind of shouting more — I think that was more of the zone. Shouting. Whispering was the thing, maybe, before. And maybe next time will be, maybe some black metal [stuff].”
One of my favorite songs from the album, “29 #Strafford APTS” is about getting over hardships and moving on “Sure as any living dream/It’s not all then what it seems.” The narrative explains that just because we assume things doesn’t mean they’re always true and we never will really know how things are on the inside of certain situations. “Fold the map and mend the gap/And I tow the word companion/And I make my self escape.” This is a personal reminder to move forward, even through disorienting times and to start focusing on himself to find his inner peace instead of letting his past drag him down like an anchor.
The band has changed a lot over the past years, for they have lost interest in an established and easily deciphered form. Behind the fluttery glitches and processed voices are deep, but idiosyncratic, songs about uncertainty. If you’re interested in the Irish singer-songwriter, James Vincent McMorrow, English singer-songwriter, James Blake and the American singer-songwriter, Iron and Wine, then you should definitely check out Bon Iver.
