For Emma, Forever Ago

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For Emma, Forever Ago
Studio album by Bon Iver
Released February 19, 2008 (US)
May 12, 2008 (UK)
Recorded November 2006 - February 2007
Genre Indie rock, folk
Length 37:19
Label Jagjaguwar (US)
4AD (UK)
Producer Justin Vernon
Professional reviews
Bon Iver chronology
For Emma, Forever Ago
(2008)		 Blood Bank EP
(2009)
Singles from For Emma, Forever Ago
  1. "Skinny Love"
    Released: April 28, 2008
  2. "For Emma"
    Released: September 15, 2008
  3. "re: Stacks"
    Released: December 15, 2008
Alternate Cover
Cover of the self-released version of the album

For Emma, Forever Ago is the first album from Wisconsin's Bon Iver. It was self-released in 2007 and received wider release on the Jagjaguwar label in February 2008 (and on the 4AD label in the UK in May 2008). The album was widely acclaimed, receiving spots on critics' end-of-the-year lists, as well as several awards.

Contents

[edit] History

Following the break-up of his previous band DeYarmond Edison, Justin Vernon secluded himself to a cabin in northwestern Wisconsin for three months planning to "hibernate." Three months of solitude resulted in the creation of For Emma, Forever Ago. "All of his personal trouble, lack of perspective, heartache, longing, love, loss and guilt that had been stock piled over the course of the past six years, was suddenly purged into the form of song." [1]

The record is entirely the creation of Justin Vernon, "despite its complexity, the record was created with nothing more than a few microphones and some aged recording equipment." [1] The album was self-released in July 2007 and quickly gained attention from various magazines like Pitchfork Media. In February 2008, the album was re-released through the Jagjaguwar label with a new album cover. In May 2008, 4AD picked the album up for release in the UK and Europe.

As a gift to fans, people who pre-ordered the re-release received a free Bon Iver poster, and people who downloaded the album from iTunes received a free bonus track, "Wisconsin." [2]

[edit] Track listing

All songs written and composed by Justin Vernon. 

For Emma, Forever Ago
# Title Length
1. "Flume"   3:39
2. "Lump Sum"   3:21
3. "Skinny Love"   3:59
4. "The Wolves (Act I and II)"   5:22
5. "Blindsided"   5:29
6. "Creature Fear"   3:06
7. "Team"   1:57
8. "For Emma"   3:41
9. "re: Stacks"   6:41
iTunes Bonus Track
# Title Length
10. "Wisconsin"   5:24

[edit] Reception

For Emma, Forever Ago was received very well by critics. It has an 88 rating on Metacritic, earning it the "Universal Acclaim" tag. [3] In an early review, online magazine Pitchfork Media rated it very favorably, as well as including it in their list of the best albums of 2007. [4] The New York Times called the record "irresistible".[5] May 2008's edition of the British music magazine MOJO rated the album five stars, and tagged it with the title "MOJO Instant Classic".

Robert Christgau's C plus rating may be the harshest review of the album (compared to 26 other, mostly positive, reviews on Metacritic). Christgau compared Justin Vernon's lyrics to the poetry of Robert Creeley, and complained that not only did the former's lyrics fall short, but that the album's "solitary meditations...lose definition faster than an angel's breath on a January morn." [6]

Criticisms of the album sometimes center around the audio quality of the album, pointing out that it is hard to make out words during certain parts of songs. However, even many of the negative reviews commented on the future potential: "If he relies just a little too much on the atmosphere and creaking spaces between notes filled by the character of the cabin in which he recorded, that's something that more recording, more songwriting will surely fill out." [7]

The album has sold 130,000 copies in the United States up to January 2009.[8]

Publication Country Accolade Year Rank
Mojo UK Top 50 Albums of 2008 2008 #4[9]
Observer Music Monthly UK 50 Albums of the Year 2008 #1[10]
Paste US Signs of Life 2008: Best Music 2008 #4[11]
Pazz & Jop US Album Winners 2008 #8[12]
Pitchfork US Top 50 Albums of 2007 2007 #29[13]
Pitchfork US Top 200 Albums of The 2000s 2009 #29[14]
Q UK 50 Best Albums of the Year 2008 #34[15]
Rolling Stone US Albums of the Year 2008 #29[16]
The Skinny UK Top Ten Albums of 2008 2008 #2[17]
Spin US The 40 Best Albums of 2008 2008 #31[18]
Uncut UK Top 50 Albums of 2008 2008 #4[19]
New Musical Express UK Top 50 Albums of 2008 2008 #24[20]
Rough Trade UK Top 50 Albums of 2008 2008 #1[21]
Rockfeedback UK Top 100 Albums of 2008 2008 #4[22]
Under the Radar US Top 50 Albums of 2008 2008 #19[23]

[edit] Chart performance

Chart (2008) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard 200 64
U.S. Top Independent Albums 4
U.S. Top Heatseekers 1
UK Albums Chart 42
Ireland Albums Top 75 16
Belgium Albums Top 50 20
Dutch Albums Top 100 95

[edit] Personnel

Band

Additional Musicians

  • Christy Smith - Drums, Vocals
  • John Dehaven - Trumpet
  • Randy Pingrey - Trombone

Production

  • Nick Petersen - Mastering

Design

  • Brian Moen - Art Direction
  • Griszka Niewiadomski - Photography
  • Deb Sorge - Hand Lettering
  • Daniel Murphy - Layout Design
  • Gilbert Vernon - Photography

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Bon Iver Bio
  2. ^ Pitchfork: Bon Iver Adds Bonuses to For Emma
  3. ^ Bon Iver: For Emma, Forever Ago (2008): Reviews
  4. ^ For Emma, Forever Ago | Pitchfork
  5. ^ CMJ Music Marathon: Once Obscure, Now With Something to Prove - ArtsBeat - Arts - Music - Theater - TV - Movies - New York Times Blog
  6. ^ http://robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=Bon+Iver
  7. ^ Bon Iver: For Emma, Forever Ago - PopMatters Music Review
  8. ^ Caulfield, Keith (2009-01-28). "Romance And Indie Rock Hit The Billboard 200". Billboard (magazine). http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/charts/chart_alert/e3i85756b4e0ca108bc34b515ace5d25d9f. Retrieved 2009-01-28. 
  9. ^ http://stereogum.com/archives/yearend-list/uncuts-top-20-mojos-top-50-of-2008_038561.html
  10. ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/dec/07/bon-iver-coldplay-best-albums
  11. ^ http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2008/11/signs-of-life-2008-best-music.html?p=5
  12. ^ http://www.villagevoice.com/pazznjop/albums/2008/
  13. ^ http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/47446-top-50-albums-of-2007
  14. ^ http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/7709-the-top-200-albums-of-the-2000s-50-21/3/
  15. ^ Q Magazine Jan 09, pg.83
  16. ^ http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/24958695/albums_of_the_year/31
  17. ^ The Skinny: Issue 39, pg. 34
  18. ^ http://www.spin.com/articles/40-best-albums-2008
  19. ^ http://stereogum.com/archives/yearend-list/uncuts-top-20-mojos-top-50-of-2008_038561.html
  20. ^ http://stereogum.com/archives/yearend-list/nmes-top-50-of-2008_041012.html
  21. ^ http://www.roughtrade.com/site/content.lasso?page=albumsoftheyear08.html
  22. ^ http://www.rockfeedback.com
  23. ^ http://www.undertheradarmag.com
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