After a year of praise, accolades and one of the most critically acclaimed albums of 2008, Bon Iver frontman Justin Vernon had to be feeling the pressure, fully aware that any new material would be scrutinized and expected to bear the weight of greatness once again. Fans, take delight in Vernon’s incredible capabilities and fear not — his group’s new EP, Blood Bank, is different from the first album but just as beautiful.
Bon Iver’s first album, For Emma, Forever Ago, self-released in 2007 and re-released in 2008 by Jagjaguwar, was a quiet success. Unknown to many except those deeply entrenched in the indie music scene, Bon Iver remained under the radar for several months. But word traveled of this incredible album — recorded during a winter spent hibernating in a Wisconsin cabin — and Vernon’s fame doubled, even tripled. Using old equipment, no production and only his voice and guitar, Vernon wrote 10 songs — a brief album with the ability to elicit infinite amounts of emotion.
Naturally, there were great expectations for the second Bon Iver album, but rather than surprising listeners with his changes in a full-length record, Vernon released a four-song EP. Simple and sweet, Vernon gently eases his listeners into the thought of Bon Iver being a band rather than a solo project. Vernon probably did not intend to return to the cabin every time he wanted to write a song, and his sound allows for some leniency in this. Blood Bank adds two new musicians while still, somehow, remaining true to Vernon’s original sound. The album is haunting, poetic, warm — the additions are understated, and Vernon remains the focus. Nothing is too heavy.
For those hoping for something identical to Emma, it can still be found on “Beach Baby.” The piece features just Vernon and his guitar — it easily could have been the 11th song on the first album.
What’s new are the other three tracks, but they are not so new as to lose their signature Bon Iver flavor. The title track features an optimism not found on the first album, as it relates the story of a couple finding love at a blood bank. Although it seems eerie and a bit morbid, Vernon is able to make it beautiful. He has found someone to confide in as he croons, “And I said I know it well / the secret that we know / that we don’t know how to tell.” “Blood Bank” incorporates the new elements of the band — subtle drums, some strings and new harmonies — but still captures the solidarity found on Emma.
Vernon’s boldest move of the album is “Woods” and yet it is, technically, the simplest song on the album. Entirely solo a capella, the track is Vernon’s voice layered several times while an Auto-Tune conspicuously turns him into a robot. Vernon can to pull it off, though; in the age of Kanye West and T-Pain, Vernon somehow is able to use a vocoder to his advantage. The sound is anything but synthetic or fake, and Vernon’s voice remains pure and organic.
The similarities between Bon Iver’s first album and this EP are defined, and Blood Bank is anything but leftovers from the first album. Rather, it is a taste of what to expect next from Vernon and his group. Do not be fooled — a couple of new voices and new instruments cannot blemish Vernon’s incredibly unique sound. Those who looked to his solitude to find solitude of their own can still revel in the 15 minutes that are Blood Bank.
Read More
Before you head to the polls, here’s a look at what’s on Charlottesville’s ballot
By Bennett Galper | YesterdayCity residents can vote early at the Voter Registration Office. Those who live in Albemarle County can vote early at the 5th Street County Office Building.
Honor Committee to host annual international student outreach event
By Lexie Stadler | 3 days agoWill Hancock, vice chair for the undergraduate community and third-year College student, has led planning for the outreach event, which will host informal student discussions on academic integrity.
School of Engineering and Applied Science hosts third annual Engineering Expo
By Lauren Seeliger | 3 days agoPart of a long slate of annual Family Weekend programming, the expo was organized to highlight undergraduate research.
