By Mick Dillon / The Jambar
Wisconsin-based, indie folk band Bon Iver released its fifth studio album, “SABLE, fABLE,” on April 11. The album features 13 songs and comes in with a total runtime of just over 40 minutes.
Bon Iver was formed in 2006 by songwriter and vocalist Justin Vernon in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The current iteration of the group includes:
- Vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Michael Lewis
- Drummer, vocalist and pianist Sean Casey
- Dummer, bassist and vocalist Matthew McCaughan
- Guitarist, vocalist and pianist Andrew Fitzpatrick
- Guitarist, vocalist and pianist Jenn Wasner
After releasing its debut album, “For Emma, Forever Ago,” Bon Iver won a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album and quickly established itself as a pillar of modern indie music.
Throughout the years, Bon Iver has experimented with a variety of different genres including indie folk, indie pop, soft rock and folktronica.
“SABLE, fABLE” is a dual-sided album that personifies a wooded journey of reflection and growth, resembling similar themes to “For Emma, Forever Ago.”
The first disc, “SABLE,” serves as a homecoming for Vernon, who said he hasn’t experienced these feelings since the release of Bon Iver’s debut album.
In an interview with Radio Milwaukee, Vernon said this concept had to do with facing uncomfortable emotions from the past.
“[‘SABLE’] was really quite literally me alone in the woods for the first time since the ‘For Emma’ record was made,” Vernon stated. “It’s sort of an unwelcome feeling of familiarity and anxiety, depression of these things. But, making the songs, it really kind of helped.”
Side two, “fABLE,” was a representation of Vernon leaving the same woods he had returned to in “SABLE.”
“The ‘fABLE’ songs are really about me kind of leaving the woods and leaving that ‘cabin guy’ and whatever ‘Bon Iver’ has been and deciding to kind of take a leap into joy and leaving some of those old habits behind,” Vernon stated.
A 12-second instrumental kicked off the album and seamlessly transitioned into the introspective, acoustic second track, “THINGS BEHIND THINGS BEHIND THINGS.”
From there, the four-song disc one concludes with acoustic-heavy tracks “S P E Y S I D E” and “AWARDS SEASON.”
The pivot from the first to second side is instantly felt on “Short Story,” in its angelic production paired with Veron’s soothing vocals.
The seamless transition from “Short Story” to “Everything Is Peaceful Love” is anchored by the calming drumline from the outro of “Short Story,” matching that on the intro of “Everything Is Peaceful Love.”
The next five songs continue the introspective-indie themes with insightful lyrics of loss, growth and reflection before leading into the final two tracks.
“There’s A Rhythm” and “Au Revoir” slow the pace to conclude the double album with soothing backing vocals from gospel choirs and charming melodies seemingly made for slow dancing.
Fans await a tour announcement from Bon Iver following its first full-length project since 2019’s abstract “i,i” album.