Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago
Forever Ago seems like an apt title for this review, given how long I’ve had this album. In terms of critical froth, this has been about as well received as anything for a long time, with five star reviews and breathless exclamations of otherworldly beauty and so on, but I just didn’t get it. Honestly, I’ve listened to this over a dozen times and am only now starting to like it. I don’t know why it took me so long, but sometimes these things take time.
I still wouldn’t elevate it quite to the pantheon of instant greatness that many have thrust upon it, but it is nevertheless an extremely good record. The ghostly, plucked acoustica sways from atmospheric alt-folk into slightly more ethereal rhythms which border on electronica. The atmosphere has a lot in common with the likes of Bonnie Prince Billy in places, but there is more underlying tension to Bon Iver.
I am not sure about the vocal delivery, personally. I like it now, but it’s very much an acquired taste and perhaps that’s what made it a little difficult to get into. It’s sufficiently high-pitched that the music can come across as being somewhat akin to what you might have listened to in the eighties to show that you were sensitive, but perhaps that’s being harsh. Also, it’s often not the most obviously melodic album in the world, so perhaps lends itself less to the first few listens. Either way, I have come to like it now, and I get the impression that this will just improve with greater acquaintance.
Bon Iver – Wisconsin
Bon Iver – Skinny Love
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Well there are definitely songs I like, but by and large I just don’t get the fuss. It’s so universal too – odd.
Well I just oredered this today before I read this so will come back with some verbal lightning bolts once I have had the opportunity to listen.
I’m in exactly the same boat as Euan.
Pitchfork are fans, I read. 8.1 and they currently have an interview with him linked from the home page.
Like I say, everyone seems to love them, but I just don’t really hear anything exciting. I’m curious to find out what you guys think actually.
I can’t even sense a backlash to anything that’s preceded this in the near unanimous critical praise heaped on this release. By that I mean, there’s no indication from the love this record is getting that all the ‘everything including the kitchen sink’ bands doing the rounds are beginning to get on Pisspoor’s nerves or anything. & there’s been a lot of hushed voice acoustic artistes banging about for some time now. I just can’t see what marks this as any different or unique enough for this overly enthusiastic thumbs up. I saw the Later… episode with him on & I thought he sucked the energy right out of the room. Dunno. Flummoxed, I are.
He supported Iron and Wine a couple of weeks back and was too noisy and no fun. I went to the bar instead.
More underlying tension than Bonnie Prince Billy? How can that possibly be?
Bonnie Prince Billy (fuck him and his fucking quotation marks) is a little lovelier, I would say. Nothing more quantifiable than that.
Beth, crikey if you didn’t like him then there’s no hope. I love Lonesome Music.
I downloaded “Skinny Love” a few months ago and thought, “meh,” and figured I’d get really bored with the full album. Then I listened to the full album last week and thought, “you know, he has quite a nice voice.” And I liked it. Not sure where the change of heart came from. Maybe you need to sit with it for…erm…much longer?
Perhaps. There have been times when I’ve completely discarded an album for being boring, not listened to it for eight months or something like that, and then heard it again and had a completely different reaction. Not sure how that works, but it definitely does happen from time to time.
It just sounds unfinished to me.
A lot of music like this sounds too much like a jam session.. It might be okay once he’s finished writing the songs.
And why has he double-tracked his voice on Skinny Love? To me, that undermines the raw sound I suspect he’s going for, and just makes him sound like Peter Gabriel.
Peter Gabriel. Low blow Dylan, low blow.
I liked Solsbury Hill.
No, really!
What’s so wrong with Peter Gabriel? The man created a smarter pop and is becoming a bigger influence today. My favorite example is Yeasayer’s “Sunrise”, which is phenomenal and definitely has tings of Peter Gabriel.
I really do like Solsbury Hill!
I really like this album. It’s not breathtaking straight from the bat but its definitely a grower
This guy blew me away, probably b/c he caught me by surprise. I had dumped a bunch of songs from the blogosphere onto my ipod and visited my friend a town over (I live in Japan). At the bus station “Skinny Love” started playing and I didn’t even really notice it until the chorus hit. I knew right away I’d be listening to it for a long time.
Honestly, I think most of the commenters here are victims of the hype. It happens to the best of us, unfortunately (me, too – I couldn’t really get into the last one by Of Montreal that everyone lauded praise upon). For your sakes, though, wish you could’ve heard him with no barriers to entry, as there is something markedly different about this album that I think makes it a beautiful baring of one’s soul.
Nor I, Nor I.
Don’t get the hoo hah, frankly.
Don’t like his voice, & I think his ‘tunes’ & melodies are weedy & waterey.
I’d go so far as to say booooooring.