Thirty Days Of Music Day 22 - A Song You Listen To When You're Sad

Bon Iver mesmerised us all when he released his 2008 debut album For Emma, Forever Ago.  The whole record is one heartfelt outpouring of emotion, and Vernon's log-cabin lamentation is absolutely stunning.

Re: Stacks is the best song on the album and sees Vernon at the height of his tearjerking beauty.  The guitar is simple and unobtrusive, putting all the emphasis on the vocals.  Vernon's delicate falsetto is pure and emotive, and the world-weary lyrics are a delight to the ears.  His lyrics are so evocative and the song plys you with images: 'pouring rain', 'black crow', 'wiry legs are crossed', 'the fountain in the front yard is rusted out'.  

When you are sad this is a song to wallow in.  It's not a song to cheer you up, or to make everything feel ok; it's not a song to show you the bright side of life or warm your heart or lift your spirits.  It's a song you listen to when you wan't to embrace sorrow; when you don't want to be cheered up and 7 minutes of sadness is all that you need.  

For Emma, Forever Ago - Bon Iver

For Emma, Forever Ago, the debut album by Bon Iver (Justin Vernon) released in the UK in 2008, is not an album you can listen to lightly. The songs demand attention to be truly appreciated.

The simple rhythmic strumming of the guitar and the periods of unaccompanied singing add a stripped quality to the music; Vernon’s quivering falsetto delivers unbridled emotion. There is no doubt that its production has played a massive part in this album’s success. Written and recorded by Justin Vernon in a log cabin in northwest Wisconsin, the album is extremely minimalistic – consisting mainly of Vernon’s voice creeping over deep, earthy acoustic guitar. The raw power transmitted by the untouched, unpolished quality of the sound is truly incredible.

It is this quality that separates him from the rest of his contemporaries and makes the album so incredibly moving. Vernon has poured all his life’s heartache into 9 songs.

The highlights include opener Flume, which makes up for its somewhat ambiguous lyrics ("Only love is all maroon/ Lapping lakes like leery loons") with a stunningly beautiful melody. The trumpets and guitar in For Emma are also wonderful – free to weave in and out of Vernon’s vocals, dancing around the rest of the accompaniment. However, the masterpiece of the album comes at the end. Re: Stacks, the epitome of everything Bon Iver, is a gentle lament over a night of drunken gambling ("There’s a black crow sitting across from me/ His wiry legs are crossed/ He’s dangling my keys/ He even fakes a toss"). The chorus is a short, sweet number surrounded by the long, languishing verse.

The album is worth every second invested. It's an album filled with melancholy, heartbroken, world-weary songs. If you are yet to experience Bon Iver (one of the minority) then go look him up. For fans of Fleet Foxes, Goldheart Assembly, Grizzly Bear and Laura Marling

Top Songs: Skinny Love, For Emma, Re:stacks, Flume

Also, check out La Blogotheque on youtube for some awesome videos of Bon Iver playing live. As well as other bands like Fleet Foxes and Phoenix. Their "Take Away Show" series is really great.