Bon Iver

He’s an American singer-songwriter. Really solid indie folk stuff. He’s got one album out (for emma,forever ago) and an EP (blood bank)

MySpace

A few of his biggest tracks:

Blindsided - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sy3lJIxyZ60
Flume - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuQrLsTUcN0
Skinny Love - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrMmr1oMPGA

Anyone else listening?

I love you 😍

He was actually one of the first musicians who really kicked off my whole folk obsession, right alongside Devendra, Feist, and Fleet Foxes. But that's beside the point.

Honestly, it’s hard to find a bad track from Emma. That said, Flume - Skinny Love, Stacks, and Wolves are definitely my absolute favorites.

I think I'm going to go ahead and put him on right now after such a long break. 😁

I had a feeling you’d be one of the first ones here ;D

So, I'm just reading that they actually included his track on the New Moon soundtrack.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNr0IHqy3K4

And now he’s pulling in something like ten million scrobbles on Last.fm in a single week. It’s wild—basically giving off major i & W. vibes.

I mean, come on, you’ve got Grizzly Bear and Editors on the soundtrack, so if only the movie itself actually had some quality, right? But whatever. 😢

Honestly, my only real concern is that the new album isn't a complete disaster; I truly couldn't care less who ends up listening to it. 😁

Has there been any word about a new album?

Not many people seem to be listening to it. Maybe it's because his vocals can be a bit grating at times—I'll admit, I felt the same way when I first heard him. But perhaps that's for the best. At least he won't overstay his welcome or wear out his welcome with his music.

I’m just speaking in general terms here, because there's a real possibility they might end up crafting an album that feels a bit too "pop" or overly polished for the MTV crowd if it starts getting massive mainstream traction, similar to what happened with i & W. (Don't get me wrong, i & W. is still wonderful, but you know what I mean! ;D)

However, I don't think we're going to see some sort of "epidemic" of this sound anytime soon. Their voice and style are just so incredibly niche; it isn't the kind of music that easily captures the masses—unless, of course, we're talking about Flume - Skinny Love. 😍

This whole obsession with hating on MTV is kind of ridiculous. Just because someone makes something specifically for them doesn't mean it’s automatically garbage. Although, let's be honest, it usually is. Maybe if they tried harder, the average MTV viewer might actually start listening to decent music for once. ;D

It isn’t really an issue when you hear music playing on MTV—it’s more about when people start acting like they’re some kind of MTV superstar. That constant, forced interaction with the crowd, basically demanding that everyone sing along to tracks that are meant to be heard in the quiet comfort of your own home... It feels misplaced, I guess. Honestly, until I actually saw Bon Iver live, I figured the person who told me the whole thing was just pretentious garbage was totally wrong. But, well, I haven't found myself reaching for Bon Iver since that festival back in August—Coachella—and I don't think I ever will again. At least, not with the same intensity I used to.

Kyle Jackson54 said:Look, hearing music on MTV isn't the issue. The issue is when you start acting like an MTV superstar. That constant need to engage with the crowd, begging everyone to sing along to those tracks that you actually listen to alone in your living room because they're so damn intimate...

Apparently, I’m going to have to spend a little more time with this incredibly boring record. I can practically feel the lack of intellect coming off this guy. I used to think he was just too arrogant for his own good, but turns out he's just indie levels of tedious—as if the only thing that matters is how much some random drifter in Wisconsin digs his little "artistic" ideas... which, clearly, is just so incredibly cool. 🙄

—so Justin actually dropped two solo albums before the whole Bon Iver thing kicked off. We're talking Hazeltons and his self-titled record.

🙂

Kyle Jackson54 said:Look, there’s nothing wrong with hearing music played on MTV, but the issue arises when an artist starts acting like an MTV superstar. That excessive need to over-communicate with the crowd, or demanding that the audience belt out lyrics that were meant to be heard in the quiet intimacy of one's own home while they're performing their most vulnerable work... I don't know. Up until the moment I saw Bon Iver live, I honestly thought the person who told me the live show was pretentious garbage was totally wrong. However, I have to admit that since August (Coachella), I haven't really listened to much Bon Iver, and I don't think I will anymore. At least, not with the same intensity I used to.

Well, I actually find myself quite envious of the fact that you got to see him live!
So, what are you suggesting then? Should he just stop playing festivals altogether? Is his only calling to play tiny little gigs for twenty people in a basement?

So, look—Grizzly Bear put on a stunning show. Bill Callahan was equally incredible, too. They were even playing the same venue. But they didn't really engage with the crowd in that... I don't know, effortless way. It wasn't cheap or forced, per se, but it just wasn't there. That kind of connection is more what you'd expect from bands like Vampire Weekend or Whitest Boy Alive—groups where that sort of rapport actually feels natural. And those guys were great. I don't know, I guess it just left me feeling a bit unsettled.

Kyle Jackson54 said:It isn’t an issue when they play music on MTV; the issue is when you start acting like an MTV star. That excessive interaction with the crowd, demanding they sing along to songs that feel so intimate when you listen to them at home... I don't know. Up until I saw Bon Iver live, I thought the guy who called them pretentious garbage was totally wrong. But honestly, since August (Coachella), I haven't really listened to much Bon Iver, and I probably won't. At least, not with the same intensity as before.

The biggest poser out there, if we're being honest. I'll separate that from the music, which is actually great, but I’d still go see him in concert.

driftingowl27 said:Looks like I might need to spend more time with that incredibly boring record. I can almost sense the intelligence in a performer who seems so arrogantly[/I]
indie dull that he only cares about how his little ideas land with some random wanderer in Wisconsin... which, apparently, is just incredibly cool. 🙄

Arrogantly [I]indie dull? What does that even mean? Boring music is just boring music. Period.

And look, I’ve tolerated all sorts of absolute jerks in my time—honestly, I've seen some pretty questionable characters pass for talent—but he just isn't quite at the level where I'd put up with a performance like that. That said, if you're the type of person who lives for this stuff, I suppose it could be viewed as pure genius. You've got two drummers, a massive, spectacular wall of sound... it's impressive, in its own way. It works for some people. I wish it worked for me, but, well, life goes on.

I think I see where you're coming from. 🙂

Honestly, I’d probably head out to see him live too, even though I’m not usually the type to chase down festival lineups featuring those kinds of acts. It’s hard for me to picture someone like Beirut or Bill Callahan sharing a stage at Coachella alongside a group like MGMT. It isn't about whether the bands are good—they clearly are—it's just that their specific sound feels much more suited for an intimate, small-club setting rather than a massive festival crowd.

Since everyone was acting like he was some kind of genius, I gave him a shot, but honestly, I was bored out of my mind.

I guess I’ve officially realized I have zero patience for those overly sensitive guys with the beards and the acoustic guitars. It’s funny because I basically fit the description myself, but I’m not dropping my own tracks until I’m actually certain they aren't total garbage, swear to God.

restlessranger30 said:I think I follow your logic. 🙂

I suppose I’d go see him live too—even though I’m not exactly the biggest fan of seeing artists like that booked for massive festivals. It’s hard to picture someone like Beirut or Bill Callahan playing Coachella alongside a group like MGMT, you know? It isn't even about whether the band is good or not; it’s just that their specific brand of music feels like it needs a much more intimate setting to really work.

Bill Callahan was exactly what he needed to be <3, though he was on a significantly smaller stage, but I guess that doesn't matter much. Grizzly Bear played a pretty large stage and they were fantastic. They shared the lineup with Micachu & The Shapes, Tortoise, and Gang Gang Dance... Meanwhile, Bon Iver shared the biggest "indie" stage with Fever Ray, Vampire Weekend, Whitest Boy Alive, and My Bloody Valentine... Every single one of them delivered the kind of performance I was hoping for. Well, except for Bill—since he mostly stuck to songs from his last two albums (the ones released under his own name), excluding Cold Blooded Old Times, but that's a whole other conversation. Honestly, I was looking for a two-and-a-half-hour set from him, not a fifty-minute cameo. 😁

Has anyone actually jumped into this thread yet? 😢

Back in June, Bon Iver dropped his self-titled album
After that first record, For Emma, Forever Ago, expectations were sky-high. Honestly, I was worried he might run into that classic "sophomore slump" where nothing lives up to the debut, but I’m really glad I was wrong.
The sound is a huge departure from the first one—which was recorded in a remote cabin and felt very stripped-back with just some guitars and light instrumentation. This new project pulls in a massive palette of different sounds and instruments.
Even though it feels somewhat "cold," it fits this time of year perfectly. I’m totally on board with Pitchfork giving it a 9.5.
I hope everyone else who checked it out enjoyed it as much as I did. Personally, I've already got it sitting in my top three albums of the year.

The second album holds its own too,
even if watching guys break down in tears isn't really my thing.
Just out there in the woods...
😲

That music video for that Calgary track is honestly gorgeous.

Justin Vernon, Justin Vernon>>>>>>>>>>for Emm