Opener "Perth"on is a gentle electric-guitar based track with a marching drum beat accompanied by Bon Iver's trademark processed vocal choirs in the background. The song then kicks in with machine gun drum machines. I enjoyed the track; and it reminded me of "War" era U2 in a certain way. Next is "Minnesota, WI", continuing the theme of each track being named after a place. The song is an interesting mixture of acoustic and electronic, blending banjo chords with early 1990s synthesizers. The steel guitar really fills out the song; and provides the listener with visions of the often desperate and sparse Wisconsin landscape where much of the album was recorded. The heavily distorted bass would not sound entirely out of place on Kanye West's 2010 album "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" which Bon Iver collaborated. A truly great song; and a perfect blend of the many elements that comprise the Bon Iver sound. Single "Holocene" is a gorgeous lament of self-reflection. Vernon struggles with his place in the world; feeling valueless but showing optimism at the same time. The song reminded me of Peter Gabriel's "So", a major influence on this album as well as Bon Iver in general. The gentle acoustic guitar chords are backed up by slow horns and vibes; accompanied by delicate electric bass. The song is intensely sombre, but at times hopeful as well. Great song.
"Towers" brings the energy level up a bit. The song is relatively simple for a Bon Iver song; and revolves around simple strummed electric guitar accompanied by soft synthesizers and heavily processed horn sounds.The song takes an interesting turn halfway through, incorporating Bon Iver's more country side. The song gallops along accompanied by vintage sounding country-like horns and steel guitar before returning the the main section of the song again. The song is enjoyable enough; but not a standout on the album. "Michicant" returns us back to the quite depressing and self-reflective sound that dominates the album. The almost hymn-like song is easily the "coldest" sounding song on the album; with a very simple effect processed drum beat joined by acoustic guitar and very melancholy horns. The song contains numerous references to winter; and most of "Bon Iver" definitely reflects the emotional longing and desperation that winters can create within the human soul. Not really fit for a party; but an enjoyable romp through Vernon's frosty psyche.
"Hinnom, TX" takes the album out of the bitterly cold winter and brings a more warm sounding piece of pseudo-electronica. The song contains "glitchy"and sparse drum blasts over processed piano and gentle vintage synthesizers. The vocals are beautiful; and shows that Vernon and company have really mastered the manipulation of the human voice in a way not heard since Queen in the 1970s and 1980s. The choirs accentuate the deep growl of Vernon on this track. The song is beautiful. Unlike many contemporary artists; Bon Iver's lyrics are very poetic in nature; open to interpretation. The cryptic but beautiful language of Hinnom, TX only adds to it's mystique. Easily one of the best songs on the album. "Wash." shows the more "Baroque" pop sound that Bon Iver has often be labelled with. The song makes liberal use of strings; amid the mass of sounds that dominate the rest of the album. The gentle acoustic piano reflects the "bedroom" like nature of Bon Iver; despite the sound of the band clearly moving beyond the amateurishness of their debut. The song brings to mind the driving rain and mist of the Pacific Northwest; although with such vague lyrics it is really hard to tell what the song is truly about; which is the great thing about Bon Iver. Vernon's lyrics are about whatever you want them to be; like any great musical poet before him.
Single "Calgary" was the true highlight of the album for me. It is here that artists such as Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins really come to the fore in terms of influence. The soft vintage synthesizers and electronic drums remind one of 1980s pop music; but at the same time, Bon Iver crafts something new using the foundations laid by these individuals. The song strays from the clean sounds of the 1980s by including what appears to be "prepared" drums and a guitars with liberal use of distortion and studio effects. The song closes gently; with a soft guitar strum and brush drums. Easily the best song on the album.The short "Lisbon, OH" is a short instrumental track that reminds one of Daniel Lanois and his blending of studio electronics and electric guitar. The song does not really add much to the album; but is a nice experiment. Closer "Beth/Rest" was another highlight for me. Bon Iver moves fully away from folk music here; and adopts the personality of a 1980s pop singer. The "Springsteen-like" horns stand atop incredibly cheesy "Casio" like digital keyboards. The sampled pop drums also sound incredible dated; but that is the point here, "Beth/Rest" will provide a nice dose of nostalgia for pop music from a bygone era. Vernon's vocals really show their power here; sounding much more powerful than heard anywhere else in their short discography. The song is beautiful; and the guitar solos really up the ballad quotient.
"Bon Iver" is a strange album that is for sure. I do believe however that the praise for this album is truly deserved. Like the 1980s singers that the album often pays homage to; Vernon and crew use vast amounts of textures and sounds to create emotionally beautiful music that tugs on the heartstrings. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this album; despite the quite depressing nature of the album. Great, but only for those wanting to take a deeply emotional and visceral trip.
Rating-9/10
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