Music Review: Bon Iver, Blood Bank

Release DateJan. 20, 2008
Rating: 90/100

I have to admit that that I fell in love with Bon Iver’s first release, For Emma, Forever Ago. It was overtly simple. It made eloquent use of overdubs and some digital effects.  The result was magnificent.  I have a big music collection and try to keep music rated in iTunes so that I can find all the good stuff quick. Usually I find a few stand out tracks on an album, but when I looked at my iTunes ratings, I found that I had rated all songs 5.

As I tried to get more information on Bon Iver, I discovered For Emma, Forever Ago’s backstory. They guy, Justin Vernon, holed up into a cabin in Wisconsin and recorded the album after a breakup & some health problems. He didn’t even intend to write a record. It just happened. The ultimate writers tale – the artist retreats into the wilderness and emerges with a beautiful diary of progression and emergence. Top all that off with public acclaim.

Vernon can write a hell of an album when he’s dumped, sick, and in the woods, covered in snow, and life is bleak. He can write an album when the meloncholy is on, and he’s drunk as hell, and the stacks are low. Can he do it again?

Whatever’s going on personally, he writes good songs. Blood Bank is great.  I like an EP followup. It gives the artist room to breath.  And Bon Iver does stretch out a little. The essece remains the same but it seems like Vernon’s guiding the Bon Iver entity toward a true band situation. It’s obvious in the instrumentation. Electric guitar is used as a main instrument, not just for background effect, as it was in For Emma, Forever Ago.   The essence of Bon Iver is still here although he uses new techniques. Slide guitar on “Beach Baby” is mournfully blissful. When it’s done, there’s nothing left to say. And even hardcore Lil’ John haters would be hard pressed to dismiss the acapella, AutoTune saturated, “Woods”.

Bottom line:  Get it. I can’t wait for the next Bon Iver full length LP.

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