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Bon Iver

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Bon Iver

Bon Iver is a band founded in 2007 by American indie folk singer-songwriter Justin Vernon. The band further consists of Michael Noyce, Sean Carey, and Matthew McCaughan. Vernon independently released Bon Iver's debut album, For Emma, Forever Ago in July 2007, the majority of which was recorded while spending three months in a remote cabin in Northwestern Wisconsin. The name, Bon Iver, is a play on the French phrase "bon hiver", meaning good winter.

Live performance

Justin Vernon is joined live by Sean Carey (drums, vocals, piano), Michael Noyce (vocals, baritone guitar, guitar) and Matthew McCaughan (bass, drums, vocals). Noyce was Vernon's guitar student during high school.

From left to right: Noyce, Carey, and Vernon performing at The Fillmore in 2009

Carey approached Vernon during one of the first Bon Iver shows telling him he could play and sing all the songs after which the two played a number of them together.[2] McCaughan and Vernon met while on tour with indie-rock band The Rosebuds in May 2007.

Because of the extensive use of vocal harmony on the songs of For Emma, Forever Ago, Vernon was concerned that there would not be enough voices to duplicate the sound of the songs on the album in a live setting. To compensate for this problem in early performances, Vernon passed out lyrics for some songs to the audience to sing along to. In an interview with Pitchfork, Vernon described this dilemma. "I don't want to be the guy with an acoustic guitar singing songs, because that's boring for the most part. The song actually needs 80–500 people singing or whatever the vibe is of that room, it needs that fight".[2] Bon Iver performed at Lollapalooza 2009. Bon Iver has also performed at Austin City Limits Music Festival, Bonnaroo, Glastonbury, Øyafestivalen, Way Out West and Sasquatch!, among others.

For Emma, Forever Ago

After the breakup of the band DeYarmond Edison, a relationship, and a bout with mononucleosis,[3] Vernon left Raleigh, North Carolina, and moved back to Wisconsin to spend the oncoming winter months at his father's cabin in the state's northwoods. According to Vernon, it was during this time that the "Bon Iver" moniker first entered his mind; while bedridden with mononucleosis, he began watching the television series Northern Exposure on DVD. One episode depicts a group of citizens in Alaska, where the show is set, emerging from their homes into the first snowfall of the winter and wishing one another a "bon hiver" (French for "good winter"). This was initially transcribed by Vernon as "boniverre"; however, when he learned of its proper French spelling, he elected not to use it, deciding "hiver" reminded him too much of "liver", the site of his illness at the time.[4]

Vernon performing with Bon Iver in Shepherd's Bush, UK.

Vernon did not intend to write or record any music during the time but rather to recuperate from the events of the previous year. Eventually a record began to evolve during this cathartic time of isolation.[5] He had recently finished helping the band The Rosebuds do some recording and had with him some basic recording gear when he made his move to the cabin. Vernon played all the instruments during recording and each song was heavily edited with a large number of overdubs. Vernon wrote the lyrics for the album by recording a word-less melody and listening to the recording over and over while writing words according to the sound of the syllables of the melody.[6] In an interview, Vernon said: "Words like 'decision' and 'intention' aren't words that float in my head because I just went", Vernon explains. "I left North Carolina and went up there because I didn't know where else to go and I knew that I wanted to be alone and I knew that I wanted to be where it was cold".[7] In another interview, Vernon describes what he used to record the album: "I had a very light set-up, a basic small recording set-up: a Shure SM57 and an old Silvertone guitar. I had my brother drop off his old drums... some other small things – things I would make or find lying around."[8]

The record was almost not released and was originally intended as a group of demos to be sent out to labels and potentially rerecorded. But after getting very encouraging reactions from a number of his friends, Vernon decided to release the songs himself in their present state.[6] The original cd release show took place at the House of Rock in Eau Claire, WI. Justin played an earlier "all-ages" show and an evening 21+ show to release the original pressing of the album in its card stock cd case. After significant positive reception, helped by word of mouth and its popularity throughout the blogosphere, Vernon decided to sign to the indie label Jagjaguwar which subsequently gave the album a proper release.[9] Vernon has said that he will continue to make albums without engineers and producers because he is capable of doing it all himself.[10]

Reception

Since being released by Jagjaguwar on February 19, 2008, For Emma, Forever Ago has garnered critical acclaim.[11] The album was released in the UK and Europe by iconic indie label 4AD on May 12, 2008.[12] When released in the UK, For Emma, Forever Ago received 5/5 and "Album of the Month" reviews in both Mojo and Uncut magazines. It was the seventh highest rated album of 2008 on review-aggregator site Metacritic, with accolades from publications including The Village Voice, The Hartford Courant and The A.V. Club.[13] Pitchfork Media gave the album 29th place in its "The Top 200 Albums of 2000s" list, while Stereogum placed the album at 11 on its "Best Album of the '00s" list.[14][15]

The digital download track "Skinny Love" was selected to be iTunes (UK) single of the week and was available for free during that time, as well as being featured as the track of the day on National Public Radio. Bon Iver was ranked number 8 on Last.fm's most listened to new music of 2008.[16] Bon Iver's For Emma, Forever Ago was ranked number 29 in Rolling Stone's list of the Top 50 Albums of 2008. In an interview, Vernon said: "I'm really humbled by everything and am keeping things in perspective."[17] On May 19, 2008, "Blindsided" and "Flume" were featured in The CW series One Tree Hill.[2] On October 6, 2008, "Skinny Love" was featured in the NBC series Chuck (season 2, episode 3[18]).[19]

On December 11, 2008, Bon Iver performed "Skinny Love" on the Late Show with David Letterman.[20] On January 26, 2009, "Skinny Love" was announced at #21 by the Australian national radio station Triple J in the annual Hottest 100 countdown of the previous year's best songs.[21] In July 2009, "Skinny Love" was announced at #92 in Triple J's Hottest 100 of All Time countdown.[22] Additionally, the track "Flume" has been used by the BBC to advertise their Jimmy McGovern-penned drama series The Street; the song "Creature Fear" was used in a 2009 episode of the NBC series Chuck (season 2, episode 21) and the track "Blood Bank" was used in another Chuck episode (season 2, episode 18);[23] the track "Skinny Love" was featured in another episode of Chuck (season 2, episode 3), as well as in the ABC drama Grey's Anatomy; "The Wolves (Act I and II)" was used in the first season of The United States of Tara; "Re:Stacks" was featured in the Fox drama House; and "Woods" was used in the eighth episode of Skins' third series and appeared on the Series 3 soundtrack.[24]

In 2009 Bon Iver, along with St. Vincent, contributed the song "Rosyln" to the New Moon soundtrack.[25] Bon Iver also contributed "Brackett, WI" to the AIDS benefit album Dark Was the Night produced by the Red Hot Organization.

In 2010 Bon Iver collaborated with Kanye West on the track "Lost In the World". The track begins with a sample of the Bon Iver track "Woods". He also contributed vocals to the West track "Monster". Both tracks are featured on West's critically acclaimed album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.[26] Then in March 2011, Justin Vernon performed at SXSW with GOOD Music, later confirming that the band signed to the label.[27]

In 2011, Bon Iver's song "Skinny Love" was recorded by 14 year old British singer/songwriter Birdy,[28] becoming a hit in the UK thanks to support from BBC Radio 1,[29] reaching number 25 in the UK Singles Chart Top 40 on 13 March 2011[30] and in the same week reached number 10 on iTunes UK singles chart.[31]

Eponymous second album

On March 23, 2011, Justin Vernon told Rolling Stone that a follow up of For Emma, Forever Ago would be released in June. The as yet untitled album will be composed of 10 songs and take a new musical direction. “I brought in a lot of people to change my voice — not my singing voice, but my role as the author of this band, this project,” says Vernon, who hired well-known players like bass saxophonist Colin Stetson and pedal-steel guitarist Greg Leisz. “I built the record myself, but I allowed those people to come in and change the scene.” Despite there being a track listing that was unreleased, Vernon did say that each song on the new album represents a place. The song "Perth" was described as a "Civil War-sounding heavy metal song," the song "Minnesota Wisconsin" was described as featuring "finger-picked guitars, double bass drums and distorted bass saxophone," and the closing song "Beth/Rest" will be "horn heavy."[32]

The album was recorded in a remodeled veterinarian clinic in Fall Creek, Wisconsin, which was bought by Vernon and his brother in 2008. It was converted into April Base Studios, built mainly over the defunct swimming pool attached to the clinic. Vernon's reason for recording in the location was that "[it's] been a wonderful freedom, working in a place we built. It's also only three miles from the house I grew up in, and just ten minutes from the bar where my parents met."[33]

On April 20, Bon Iver announced details of the eponymous release through the official Jagjaguwar and 4AD websites. [34]

Discography

Albums

EPs

Singles

  • "Skinny Love" (Released on April 28, 2008)
  • "For Emma" b/w "Wisconsin" (September 15, 2008 – UK 7" vinyl)
  • "re: Stacks" (Released on December 15, 2008)
  • "Blood Bank" (Released on January 20, 2009) (UK Official Singles Chart #37)
  • "Flume" (performed by Peter Gabriel) / "Come Talk to Me" (performed by Bon Iver) (March 30, 2010 – iTunes-only download)
  • "Come Talk to Me" (performed by Bon Iver) b/w "Flume" (performed by Peter Gabriel) (April 17, 2010 [Record Store Day] – U.S. 7" vinyl, limited to 2000 copies)

Selected compilations, soundtracks & guest appearances

  • "Brackett, WI" released on Dark Was the Night (February 17, 2009 – 3 x LP & 2 x CD).
  • "For Emma" (live) released on Live at the World Cafe Vol. 27 (2009 – U.S. CD)
  • "Skinny Love" (live) released on "Later... Live2 with Jools Holland" (October 12, 2009 – 2 x CD)
  • "Rosyln" (with St. Vincent) released on The Twilight Saga: New Moon: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (October 19, 2009 – CD. December, 2009 – 2 x LP)
  • "Flume", "Wisconsin" and "Soft Light" featured on the feature film The Builder by R. Alverson (July 27, 2010 - DVD)
  • My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy by Kanye West (November 22, 2010 - CD); featuring Bon Iver on six total tracks including "Monster" and "Lost In The World".

Promotional videos

  • "The Wolves (Acts I & II)" (2008 – directed by Matt Amato. Filmed in Fall Creek, Wisconsin, January 2008)
  • "Take Away Show" - (2008 - Limited 3-track DVD in hand stamped card sleeve. Free with copies of For Emma, Forever Ago purchased from Rough Trade Records, November/December 2008)
  • "Night of the Furies Remixed" - The Rosebuds (April, 2008 - download); featuring Justin Vernon remix of "Get Up, Get Out".
  • Unmap – Volcano Choir (September 22, 2009 – CD, LP & download); featuring Justin Vernon.
  • A Decade With Duke – Eau Claire Memorial High Jazz 1 featuring Justin Vernon (December 7, 2009 – U.S.-only 14-track CD & iTunes 8-track download).
  • Hadestown – Anais Mitchell (April 9, 2010 – CD); featuring Justin Vernon.
  • Relayted by Gayngs (May, 2010 – CD, LP); featuring Justin Vernon and Mike Noyce.
  • "Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows: Songs of John Prine" – by various artists (June 22, 2010 – CD); featuring Justin Vernon.
  • High Violet by The National (May 11, 2010 – CD, LP download); featuring Justin Vernon.
  • All We Grow - S. Carey debut album (August 24, 2010 - CD, LP and download); Sean Carey solo album.
  • "Harbors" - All Tiny Creatures (2011); featuring Justin Vernon.
  • "Grown Unknown" - Lia Ices (January 25, 2011); featuring Justin Vernon.
  • My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy - Kanye West (November 22, 2010); Writing credits for Justin Vernon and featuring Bon Iver on "Monster" and "Lost in The World".

References

  1. ^ Style analysis on Allmusic
  2. ^ a b Pitchfork Interview
  3. ^ Into the Woods: The New Yorker
  4. ^ New Yorker Interview with Sasha Frere-Jones
  5. ^ Amble Down Records Bio
  6. ^ a b Treble Interview
  7. ^ Whibbs, Chris." Bon Iver’s Good Winter ", Exclaim!, March 2008.
  8. ^ http://www.thankscaptainobvious.net/2007/11/interview-bon-iver.html
  9. ^ Bon Iver signs to Jagjaguwar
  10. ^ http://www.treblezine.com/features/143.html
  11. ^ Maher, Dave (October 29, 2007). "Bon Iver Signs to Jagjaguwar". Pitchfork Media.
  12. ^ "Black Mountain, Bon Iver Kick Off Joint Tour Tonight". Pitchfork Media. February 19, 2008.
  13. ^ "Metacritic Music High and Low Scores". Metacritic. May 16, 2008.
  14. ^ http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/7709-the-top-200-albums-of-the-2000s-50-21/3/
  15. ^ http://stereogum.com/104511/best_album_of_the_decade/gummy-awards/
  16. ^ http://www.last.fm/bestof/2008
  17. ^ http://www.reveillemag.com/features/artist-feature/bon-iver-believe-the-hype
  18. ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1185872/
  19. ^ "BON IVER: Anywhere From Here". Volume One magazine. December 4, 2009.
  20. ^ http://vodpod.com/watch/1232089-skinny-love-by-bon-iver-letterman-performance
  21. ^ http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,24966001-5012980,00.html. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help) [dead link]
  22. ^ http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/hottest100_alltime/countdown/cd_91-100.htm
  23. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3040583/
  24. ^ http://www.e4.com/skins/music/series3-episode8.html
  25. ^ "Twilight: New Moon Soundtrack Tracklist Finalized at Last". Pitchfork Media. 2009-09-21.
  26. ^ Article by Gregory Adams of Exlcaim! url = http://exclaim.ca/articles/generalarticlesynopsfullart.aspx?csid1=147&csid2=804&fid1=49973, accessed September 29, 2010
  27. ^ http://rapradar.com/2011/03/20/kanye-g-o-o-d-music-at-sxsw-photos/
  28. ^ Big Top 40 news article, March 2011
  29. ^ Music Week news article
  30. ^ Radio 1 chart
  31. ^ Tune Blog, March 2011
  32. ^ Rolling Stone, March, 2011
  33. ^ [1]
  34. ^ http://www.4ad.com/news/announces-releas/
  35. ^ http://www.nme.com/news/bon-iver/56244
  36. ^ http://www.jagjaguwar.com/onesheet.php?cat=JAG135
  37. ^ http://twitter.com/#!/blobtower/status/60814182500671488

Further reading

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bon Iver.
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