Bon Iver (album)

Bon Iver's second album was rumored to be titled Letters for Marvin but was later confirmed to be Bon Iver. "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," said Justin Vernon, band leader and founder, 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." The second album is described as an "ambitious musical departure" from the first.{{cite web|url=http://frontpsych.com/2011/06/09/good-winter-great-summer-a-review-of-bon-iver/|title=Good Winter, Great Summer - A Review of Bon Iver - Frontier Psychiatrist|work=Frontier Psychiatrist}}

The band announced the release through various media and from the official Jagjaguwar and 4AD websites, on April 20, 2011. 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."{{cite web|url=http://jagjaguwar.com/onesheet.php?cat=JAG135|title=Jagjaguwar - JAG135|access-date=June 29, 2011|archive-date=November 23, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111123173835/http://jagjaguwar.com/onesheet.php?cat=JAG135}}

The album's first song "Perth", was the first song that Vernon recorded for the album; "The first thing I worked on, the riff and the beginning melodies, was the first song on the record, 'Perth,'" said Vernon. "That was back in early 2008. The reason I called it that right away, is because I was with a guy that I didn't know very well, but basically, it's a long story, but in the three days we were supposed to spend together — he's a music video maker — in those three days, his best friend (Heath Ledger) died and he was from Perth. It just sort of became the beginning of the record. And Perth has such a feeling of isolation, and also it rhymes with birth, and every song I ended up making after that just sort of drifted towards that theme, tying themselves to places and trying to explain what places are and what places aren't. We were down at my parents' house shooting the video for 'Wolves.'" The director of the video, Matt Amato, happened to be close friends with Heath Ledger. "It was January," Vernon said, "fucking 25 below. We're out shooting, and we come back in, and his phone had been going off." Ledger, it turned out, was dead. "So I've got this guy in my house whose best friend just passed away. He's sobbing in my arms. He can't go back to L.A. because the house is under siege. Michelle Williams is calling my parents' phone. All this stuff." For the next two days, Amato drank brandy, cried and reminisced about Ledger riding horses back home in Perth. The morning he left, Vernon wrote the song's first draft.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/the-solitary-fame-of-bon-ivers-justin-vernon-20110623?page=2|title=The Solitary Fame of Bon Iver's Justin Vernon|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=June 23, 2011}}

The album's third song and second single was described by Vernon as being: "'Holocene' is a bar in Portland, Oregon, but it's also the name of a geologic era, an epoch if you will. It's a good example of how all the songs are all meant to come together as this idea that places are times and people are places and times are… people? They can all be different and the same at the same time. Most of our lives feel like these epochs. That's kind of what that song's about. "Once I knew I was not magnificent." Our lives feel like these epochs, but really we are dust in the wind. But I think there's a significance in that insignificance that I was trying to look at in that song."{{cite web|url=https://genius.com/Bon-iver-holocene-lyrics|title=Bon Iver – Holocene|work=Genius}}

On May 17, 2011, a month prior to its scheduled release, the entire album was briefly and accidentally made available for sale on iTunes, resulting in customers buying and leaking the album over torrents and file sharing services.{{cite web|last=Perpetua |first=Matthew |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/itunes-accidentally-leaks-new-bon-iver-album-20110520 |title=iTunes Accidentally Leaks New Bon Iver Album |publisher=Rolling Stone |date=May 20, 2011 |access-date=2011-06-24}}

The album entered the UK charts at number 4 in the first week of release.{{cite web|last=Murray |first=Robin |url=http://www.clashmusic.com/news/bon-iver-break-into-top-ten |title=Bon Iver Break Into Top Ten |publisher=Clash |date=May 27, 2011 |access-date=2011-06-27}}

In November 2011, the album was re-released on iTunes with short films by visual artists Dan Huiting, Isaac Gale, David Jensen, JoLynn Garnes and Justin Vernon himself accompanying each track.[http://www.thecmuwebsite.com/article/bon-iver-to-release-deluxe-digital-album/ Bon Iver to release deluxe digital album] CMU, November 21, 2011

A 10th anniversary edition of the album with Justin Vernon and Sean Carey's October 2011 AIR Studios sessions was released on January 14, 2022, alongside an essay from Phoebe Bridgers on the physical release.{{cite web |title=Bon Iver Announce Blood Bank Reissue |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/bon-iver-announce-bon-iver-bon-iver-10th-anniversary-edition/|website=pitchfork.com |access-date=6 July 2022 |date=16 August 2021}}

Vernon has stated that each song on the album represents a place. The song "Perth" was described as a "Civil War-sounding heavy metal song", while the song "Minnesota, WI" was described as featuring "finger-picked guitars, double bass drums and distorted bass saxophone". The closing song "Beth/Rest" is "horn heavy", and Vernon stated he was most proud of it.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/why-bon-iver-had-to-relearn-everything-he-knows-20110323/ |title=Why Bon Iver Had to Relearn Everything He Knows |author=Evan Serpick |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=March 23, 2011 |access-date=March 12, 2012}} The album has been characterized as folk rock, indie rock, post-rock and soft rock,{{cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/2054136/bon-iver-i-comma-i-review/franchises/premature-evaluation/|title=Premature Evaluation: Bon Iver i,i|last=DeVille|first=Chris|date=August 9, 2019|website=Stereogum|access-date=August 10, 2019}} as well as chamber pop.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/03/bon-ivers-new-voice|title=Bon Iver's New Voice|last=Hsu|first=Hua|author-link=Hua Hsu|date=September 26, 2016|magazine=The New Yorker|access-date=August 10, 2019}}

This album cover was created by Gregory Euclide.

{{Music ratings

| ADM = 8.3/10{{cite web |url=http://www.anydecentmusic.com/review/3150/Bon-Iver-Bon-Iver.aspx |title=Bon Iver by Bon Iver reviews |publisher=AnyDecentMusic? |access-date=December 25, 2019}}

| MC = 86/100

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|2.5|5}}{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/bon-iver-mw0002141165 |title=Bon Iver – Bon Iver |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=June 24, 2011 |last=Sendra |first=Tim}}

| rev2 = The A.V. Club

| rev2score = A−{{cite web |url=http://www.avclub.com/review/bon-iver-embon-iverem-57788 |title=Bon Iver: Bon Iver |work=The A.V. Club |date=June 21, 2011 |access-date=June 24, 2011 |last=Hyden |first=Steven |author-link=Steven Hyden}}

| rev3 = The Daily Telegraph

| rev3score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/cdreviews/8579438/Bon-Iver-Bon-Iver-CD-review.html |title=Bon Iver, Bon Iver, CD review |work=The Daily Telegraph |date=June 16, 2011 |access-date=June 24, 2011 |last=McCormick |first=Neil |author-link=Neil McCormick}}

| rev4 = Entertainment Weekly

| rev4score = A−{{cite magazine |url=http://www.ew.com/article/2011/06/15/bon-iver-review-bon-iver |title=Bon Iver |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=June 15, 2011 |access-date=June 24, 2011 |last=Greenwald |first=Andy |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170118120915/http://ew.com/article/2011/06/15/bon-iver-review-bon-iver/ |archive-date=January 18, 2017}}

| rev5 = The Guardian

| rev5score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/jun/16/bon-iver-bon-iver-review |title=Bon Iver: Bon Iver – review |work=The Guardian |date=June 16, 2011 |access-date=June 24, 2011 |last=Costa |first=Maddy}}

| rev6 = The Independent

| rev6score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{cite news |title=Bon Iver: Bon Iver |work=The Independent |date=June 17, 2011 |last=Gill |first=Andy}}

| rev7 = NME

| rev7score = 7/10{{cite journal |url=http://www.nme.com/reviews/bon-iver/12144 |title=Album Review: Bon Iver – 'Bon Iver' |journal=NME |date=June 14, 2011 |access-date=June 24, 2011 |last=Denney |first=Alex |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304031618/http://www.nme.com/reviews/bon-iver/12144 |archive-date=March 4, 2016}}

| rev8 = Pitchfork

| rev8score = 9.5/10{{cite web |url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/15551-bon-iver/ |title=Bon Iver: Bon Iver |work=Pitchfork |date=June 20, 2011 |access-date=June 24, 2011 |last=Richardson |first=Mark}}

| rev9 = Rolling Stone

| rev9score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/bon-iver-20110526/ |title=Bon Iver |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=May 26, 2011 |access-date=June 24, 2011 |last=Hermes |first=Will |author-link=Will Hermes}}

| rev10 = Spin

| rev10score = 8/10{{cite journal |url=http://www.spin.com/reviews/bon-iver-bon-iver-jagjaguwar/ |title=Bon Iver, Bon Iver (Jagjaguwar) |journal=Spin |date=June 1, 2011 |access-date=June 24, 2011 |last=Wood |first=Mikael}}

}}

The album received acclaim from most music critics upon its release. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 86, based on 43 reviews, which indicates "universal acclaim".{{cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/bon-iver |title=Reviews for Bon Iver by Bon Iver |publisher=Metacritic |access-date=June 23, 2011}} Paste and Pitchfork named the album their top album of 2011,{{cite web|url=http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2011/11/the-50-best-albums-of-2011.html?p=5|title=The 50 Best Albums of 2011|work=pastemagazine.com|date=November 22, 2011|access-date=November 29, 2011|archive-date=November 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181118132721/https://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2011/11/the-50-best-albums-of-2011.html?p=5}}{{cite web |url=http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/8727-the-top-50-albums-of-2011/5/ |title=Staff Lists: The Top 50 Albums of 2011 |author=Amanda Petrusich |author-link=Amanda Petrusich |work=Pitchfork |date=December 15, 2011 |access-date=December 16, 2011 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304220733/http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/8727-the-top-50-albums-of-2011/5/ }} while Stereogum, Q, Uncut, Spin, and Mojo placed it at number 3, 4, 9, 14, and 16 respectively, on their "Top 50 Albums of 2011" lists.{{cite web | url=http://stereogum.com/891411/stereogums-top-50-albums-of-2011/franchises/listomania/ | title=Stereogum's Top 50 Albums of 2011 | work=Pitchfork | date=December 5, 2011 | access-date=January 15, 2012}}[http://stereogum.com/891311/uncuts-top-50-albums-of-2011/list/ Uncut's Top 50 Albums Of 2011] Uncut. Retrieved December 16, 2011.[http://stereogum.com/891091/qs-50-best-albums-of-2011/list/ Q's 50 Best Albums Of 2011] Q. Retrieved December 16, 2011.[https://www.spin.com/2011/12/spins-50-best-albums-2011/?page=0%2C10 SPIN's 50 Best Albums of 2011] Spin. Retrieved December 16, 2011.{{cite web | url=http://stereogum.com/894362/mojos-top-50-albums-of-2011/list/ | title=MOJO's Top 50 Albums Of 2011 | publisher=Stereogum | date=December 2, 2011 | access-date=December 16, 2011}} Billboard placed it at number 2 on their "Best Albums of 2011" list. The Guardian claimed the album to be the 5th best of 2011, while Rolling Stone placed Bon Iver at number 21 on the list "50 Best Albums of 2011".

Tim Sendra, of AllMusic, however, gave the album a mostly mixed review. The criticism stems mainly from the album's departure in sound from Bon Iver's previous work. He accuses the album of being too overblown due to the additional instruments and not as intimate as For Emma, saying, "He was doing just fine on his own and didn't need all those people and instruments cluttering up the air."

Bon Iver won Best Alternative Music Album at the 2012 Grammy Awards, while the band won Best New Artist for their work on it.{{Cite web |title=Bon Iver Wins Grammys for Best New Artist, Best Alternative Music Album |url=http://pitchfork.com/news/45374-bon-iver-wins-grammy-award-for-best-new-artist/ |last=Pelly |first=Jenn |date=February 12, 2012 |website=Pitchfork |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213051002/https://pitchfork.com/news/45374-bon-iver-wins-grammy-award-for-best-new-artist/ |archive-date=February 13, 2012 |access-date=March 12, 2012}} Bon Iver was also nominated for Best International Male and Best International Newcomer at the 2012 Brit Awards.{{cite web |url=http://www.uncut.co.uk/bon-iver/bon-iver-fleet-foxes-pj-harvey-nominated-for-brit-awards-news |title=Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes, PJ Harvey nominated for Brit Awards |work=Uncut |access-date=March 12, 2012 |archive-date=February 27, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140227083629/http://www.uncut.co.uk/bon-iver/bon-iver-fleet-foxes-pj-harvey-nominated-for-brit-awards-news }}

The album was selected as one of the 100 Best Albums of the Decade So Far by Pitchfork in August 2014.{{cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/9465-the-top-100-albums-of-2010-2014/|title=The 100 Best Albums of the Decade So Far (2010-2014)|website=Pitchfork}}

{{Track listing

| all_writing = Justin Vernon, except "Calgary", written by Vernon with Matt McCaughan.

| title1 = Perth

| length1 = 4:22

| title2 = Minnesota, WI

| length2 = 3:52

| title3 = Holocene

| length3 = 5:36

| title4 = Towers

| length4 = 3:08

| title5 = Michicant

| length5 = 3:45

| title6 = Hinnom, TX

| length6 = 2:45

| title7 = Wash.

| length7 = 4:58

| title8 = Calgary

| length8 = 4:10

| title9 = Lisbon, OH

| length9 = 1:33

| title10 = Beth/Rest

| length10 = 5:16

| total_length = 39:25

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Tenth anniversary edition

| extra_column =

| total_length =

| title11 = Hinnom, TX (AIR Studios – 4AD/Jagjaguwar Session)

| length11 = 3:46

| title12 = Wash. (AIR Studios – 4AD/Jagjaguwar Session)

| length12 = 5:25

| title13 = I Can't Make You Love Me (AIR Studios – 4AD/Jagjaguwar Session)

| length13 = 4:47

| title14 = Babys (AIR Studios – 4AD/Jagjaguwar Session)

| length14 = 6:14

| title15 = Beth/Rest (AIR Studios – 4AD/Jagjaguwar Session)

| length15 = 6:45

}}

• "I Can't Make You Love Me/Nick of Time" – B-side on the "Calgary" single release.
• "Come Talk to Me" – B-side on the "Holocene" single release.
• "Bruised Orange (Chain of Sorrow)" – B-side on the "Towers" single release.
• "Beth/Rest (Rare Book Room)" – B-side on the "Beth/Rest" single release.

Adapted from liner notes.{{cite AV media notes|title=Bon Iver, Bon Iver|others=Bon Iver|year=2011|publisher=Jagjaguwar|type=CD booklet}}

Performance

{{div col}}

• Mike Lewis – tenor saxophone {{small|(tracks 2–5, 7)}}, alto saxophone {{small|(tracks 2, 4, 5)}}, soprano saxophone {{small|(track 3)}}, saxophone {{small|(track 10)}}; additional string and horn arrangements
• Colin Stetson – alto saxophone {{small|(tracks 1–5)}}, bass saxophone {{small|(tracks 1, 2, 4–6)}}, flute {{small|(track 2)}}, clarinets {{small|(track 3)}}, saxophone {{small|(track 10)}}; additional string and horn arrangements
• Mikey Noyce – vocals {{small|(tracks 2–4, 6, 7)}}
• Rob Moose – violins {{small|(tracks 1, 2, 4–7)}}, violas {{small|(tracks 1, 7)}}; string and horn arrangements
• Justin Vernon – vocals {{small|(tracks 1–8, 10)}}, Korg M1 {{small|(tracks 2, 4, 5, 8–10)}}, guitars {{small|(tracks 1, 3–5)}}, baritone guitar {{small|(tracks 2, 3, 6, 8)}}, drums {{small|(tracks 1–3)}}, bass {{small|(tracks 1, 7, 8)}}, high strung guitar {{small|(tracks 3, 4, 8)}}, cymbals {{small|(tracks 1, 3)}}, 909 {{small|(tracks 2, 4)}}, RE-201 {{small|(tracks 2, 6)}}, CDO choirs {{small|(tracks 4, 9)}}, pianos {{small|(tracks 6, 7)}}, electric guitars {{small|(tracks 8, 10)}}, synth patches {{small|(tracks 9, 10)}}, choirs {{small|(track 1)}}, banjo {{small|(track 2)}}, nylon guitar {{small|(track 2)}}, synth {{small|(track 3)}}, bass drum {{small|(track 5)}}, twelve-string delays {{small|(track 5)}}, finger cymbals {{small|(track 5)}}, tremolo piano {{small|(track 6)}}, hands {{small|(track 7)}}, tape head guitars {{small|(track 8)}}; additional string and horn arrangements
• Matt McCaughan – drums {{small|(tracks 1, 2, 4, 9)}}, RE-201 {{small|(tracks 6, 8)}}, snare drums {{small|(track 3)}}, brushes {{small|(track 3)}}, bass drum {{small|(track 3)}}, thighs {{small|(track 3)}}, hand claps {{small|(track 3)}}, granular synthesis {{small|(track 3)}}, synth {{small|(track 3)}}, drum source {{small|(track 6)}}, gates {{small|(track 6)}}, 909 {{small|(track 7)}}
• Tom Wincek – granular synthesis {{small|(tracks 6, 7, 9)}}
• Sean Carey – vocals {{small|(tracks 4, 5, 7)}}, drums {{small|(tracks 1, 4)}}, choirs {{small|(track 2, 7)}}, vibraphone {{small|(track 3)}}, bowed vibraphone {{small|(track 3)}}, Harmony Engine {{small|(track 5)}}, bass drum {{small|(track 5)}}, mallet drums {{small|(track 7)}}, processing {{small|(track 7)}}
• Greg Leisz – pedal steel {{small|(tracks 2, 4, 5, 7, 10)}}
• Brian Joseph – RE-201 {{small|(track 6)}}, gates {{small|(track 6)}}
• Jim Schoenecker – granular synthesis {{small|(tracks 6, 7, 9)}}
• CJ "Carm" Camerieri – French horns {{small|(tracks 1, 3, 4, 6, 7)}}, trumpets {{small|(tracks 1, 4, 6)}}, pedal trumpets {{small|(track 3)}}, muted trumpets {{small|(track 5)}}, piccolo trumpet {{small|(track 6)}}; additional string and horn arrangements

{{div col end}}

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

Production

• Justin Vernon – production, engineering, mixing
• Brian Joseph – engineering, mixing
• Nate Vernon – additional engineering
• Andy Immerman – assistant engineering
• Greg Calbi – mastering

{{col-2}}

Design

• Gregory Euclide – paintings
• Daniel Murphy – design, layout, handwriting

{{col-end}}

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-end}}

As of January 2012 UK sales stand at 120,000 copies according to The Guardian.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2012/jan/16/indie-rock-slow-painful-death?newsfeed=true|title=Indie rock's slow and painful death|website=TheGuardian.com|date=January 16, 2012}} In October 2011 it was awarded a double gold certification from the Independent Music Companies Association which indicated sales of at least 150,000 copies throughout Europe.{{cite web |url=http://www.impalamusic.org/arc_static/docum/04-press/2011/PR%20-%2020111012.htm |title=color |website=www.impalamusic.org |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107023149/http://www.impalamusic.org/arc_static/docum/04-press/2011/PR%20-%2020111012.htm |archive-date=2017-11-07}}

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|region=Australia|award=Platinum|certyear=2015|relyear=2011}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|region=Canada|artist=Bon Iver|title=Bon Iver, Bon Iver|award=Gold|certyear=2013|relyear=2011}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|region=Denmark|artist=Bon Iver|title=Bon Iver, Bon Iver|award=Platinum|number=2|relmonth=6|certyear=2023|relyear=2011|id=13062|access-date=24 October 2023}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|region=Sweden|artist=Bon Iver|title=Bon Iver|award=Gold|source=artist|relyear=2011|access-date=10 July 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|region=United Kingdom|artist=Bon Iver|title=Bon Iver, Bon Iver|award=Gold|certyear=2013|relyear=2011|id=10265-592-2|access-date=10 July 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|region=United States|artist=Bon Iver|title=Bon Iver|award=Platinum|certyear=2019|relyear=2011}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|streaming=true}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/05/magazine/who-what-and-where-is-bon-iver.html?pagewanted=all |title=Who, What and Where is Bon Iver? |first1=Jon |last1=Caramanica |date=June 3, 2011 |work=The New York Times |access-date=February 13, 2012}}

{{Bon Iver}}

{{Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album}}

{{Pitchfork}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2011 albums

Category:Bon Iver albums

Category:Jagjaguwar albums

Category:Albums produced by Justin Vernon

Category:Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album

Category:Libera Award for Record of the Year

Category:Post-rock albums by American artists

Category:Folk albums by American artists

Category:Chamber pop albums

Category:Experimental music albums by American artists