Son of JayJamJah

Album #12: For Emma, Forever Ago (2007)
Bon Iver
Genre: Folk Rock
Dedicated to MB Member: Jackhammer


The first few notes of “Flume”…

No matter how many times I hear it, it instigates the same reaction, I can’t help but be seduced the simplicity of music and the complexity of the atmosphere. This dichotomy or whatever else set of subjective circumstances led to this being a mostly positively received debut effort for Wisconsin’s Justin Vernon, in cases glowing received and reviewed. Detractors of the album sight the simplicity and frailty of the lyrics, but I’ve always thought only fools let lyrics get in the way of the music. Words, like music have subjective meaning when they are not arranged the manner we are accustomed to. One mans pallid hefty bag is another’s unrefined Caucasian…so to speak. To,two and too maybe a better example.
C’mon Skinny Love indeed, the key transition within this opus is not chord to chord but soft to strong, the tempo, timing and general experience of the song change at the will of it’s creator, music theory be damned score one for team emotion. Maybe my favorite quality of this album is the inherent reality and reliability of the artist’s plight. The valley that lay below this peak, the end of one chapter gave accidental birth to the album and the beginning of another. Intended hibernation turned into For Emma, Forever Ago. “Blindsided”, aptly name feels like a gust of wind strong enough to press your heart against your throat. The pulsating rhythm and the bouncing melody give way to isolated invocation and eventually coming full circle before it can finish “falling down”.
Perhaps this music is too somber for some and to bland for others; its production and audio quality have also been called into question. I’ve always found the simplest musical construct combined with the purest intentions and motivations, relatable to me, make the most beautiful music. It’s not that complex can’t be great, it’s that great doesn’t have to be complex. “Creature Fear” captures the two strongest musical elements of the album nicely alternating from a whisper to a roar a stroll to a gallop and without ever missing a step. There is a lot of evidence that actually supports the simple and possible sloppy recording decision. The Horn’s in “For Emma” are the most poignant moment of the album for me. Something so ethereal and raw about the song and it’s every sound that is just overwhelming to me. It’s not often I find myself so in lockstep with the hipsters and especially the 20 something’s of that demographic but I love this album and am thankful to Music Banter without which I may never have found it.

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