This week’s picks:
“Skinny Love”, “Flume” and “Re: Stacks” by Bon Iver
I know, I am really late to this party (this would have been a good pick in 2008), but for those of you who haven't yet heard of Bon Iver you’re in for quite a treat.
Where I found Bon Iver: All of the credit is owed to my friend Alex. He’s the one who first introduced me to Bon Iver and he’s also the one who pushed for their inclusion in the song of the week.
What I like: If you haven’t heard the story behind Justin Vernon – the architect behind Bon Iver – I’ll give you the coles notes version. Basically, after the breakup of his band and his relationship, Vernon moved into his father’s cabin in the woods of Wisconsin with a guitar, some old drums and a makeshift recording rig. When he walked out, he was carrying his debut album “For Emma, Forever Ago”. You can’t tell me that isn’t an awesome story.
This album is messy, rough, and stripped down, but behind all of it is an inherent air of truth. It’s the rawness of the recording that brings you back to that cabin in the woods, and it’s also what makes this album feel so intimately personal. I love Vernon’s high falsetto voice, I love the odd tuning of his guitar, and I love the way he adds and subtracts layers throughout his songs. There’s a sense of pain to this record, but there’s also a sense of redemption, a line Vernon straddles all so delicately. All of it adds up to a small masterpiece in my books. You can decide for yourself whether you agree.
Enjoy!
Skinny Love - Bon IverFlume - Bon Iver
Re: Stacks - Bon Iver
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