Yep, its a Christmas update. Just a short review of an album that came out earlier this year because, honestly, there's fuck all coming out now. So here ya go...
Early this year, I'd never heard of the whole heartbreak followed by cabin story that so inspired Justin Vernon to write For Emma, Years Ago, I just knew of a simple yet catchy song called Skinny Love. One voice, one guitar. Then my girlfriend at the time lent me his second album and upon playing the first song "Perth", I was shocked at the number of new elements that were present throughout the song. An electric guitar, marching band style drumming, a backing choir, a chorus of trumpets. All slowly building together to form a powerful and triumphant song. While his EP Blood Bank hinted at a progression from one man one guitar, the leap made was great enough to create one of the most breathtaking albums of 2011.
As Perth finishes on a delayed guitar, it flows into "Minnesota, WI", offering its jaunty guitar and Vernon ranging from a deep voice to his trademark high falsetto, with both a banjo and a horn section accompaning him, all combine to form an excellent track. "Holocene", possibly the most emotionally charged song on the album, has Vernon crooning about his inferiority to the world around him, knowing that he "was not magnificent", all while accompanied by delicate guitar and piano. He uses an organ, a sombre sax and guitar on "Michican't" to enhance the magical feeling of young love he once felt. On "Calgary", a singular organ evolves into a great wall of instruments all accompaning a single melody being sung by Vernon before dying out by the end of the song. On the final song "Beth/Rest", a wandering guitar solo and strong background xylophone and synth accentuate Vernon's lyrics of finally being happy with someone else.
The differences between Bon Iver's two albums could not be more profound. While For Emma, Years Ago achieved its emotional power from its lack of instruments, only one voice, one guitar, all the new instrumentation and techniques Vernon has applied on this album make it extremely passionate and overwrought. But while limiting himself to his sole voice and his acoustic guitar restricted the breadth of his music, on his sophomore he was able to go deeper than we could have imagined.
Rating-Very Good
Best Songs-Perth/Holocene
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