Sable, Fable

{{Quote box|align=right|width=20%|[Sable] is the darkest black on Earth… and it rhymes with 'fable'. I think it was a look back at this kind of man-in-a-cabin narrative I've been absorbing over these years, accepting it in a way. But the rest of the record is sort of me doing whatever I needed to do to be happy, for once.|–Justin Vernon on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, April 2, 2025{{Cite web |date=2025-04-03 |title=Justin Vernon Talks 'SABLE, fABLE' On 'Fallon', Wet Leg Perform: Watch |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2302844/justin-vernon-talks-sable-fable-on-fallon-wet-leg-perform/news/?utm_source=spotim&utm_medium=spotim_recirculation&spot_im_redirect_source=pitc |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=Stereogum |language=en}}}}

Justin Vernon co-produced the album with Jim-E Stack,{{Cite web |last=Ragusa |first=Paolo |date=February 11, 2025 |title=Bon Iver announces new album SABLE, fABLE |url=https://consequence.net/2025/02/bon-iver-new-album-sable-fable/ |access-date=February 11, 2025 |website=Consequence}} who had previously worked with Bon Iver on the 2020 non-album singles, "PDLIF" and "AUATC".

The album was primarily recorded at Vernon's April Base studio in Wisconsin after it had been inactive for years as it underwent renovation. The "conceptual genesis" for the album was on February 22, 2022, when Stack arrived at the studio with Danielle Haim, whose vocals are featured on "I'll Be There" and "If Only I Could Wait".{{Cite web |last=Earl |first=William |date=February 11, 2025 |title=Bon Iver Announces New Album 'SABLE, fABLE' With John Wilson-Directed Music Video |url=https://variety.com/2025/music/news/bon-iver-new-album-sable-fable-releasedate-john-wilson-music-video-1236302948/ |access-date=February 11, 2025 |website=Variety}} The album's announcement billed it as "Bon Iver's next chapter: the epilogue" and described it as a "love story set to lush, radiant pop music".{{Cite web |last=Parquette |first=Archer |date=February 11, 2025 |title=Bon Iver Announce New Album |url=https://www.milwaukeemag.com/bon-iver-announces-new-album/ |access-date=February 11, 2025 |website=Milwaukee Magazine}}

Sable, Fable was officially announced on February 11, 2025.{{Cite web |last=Chelosky |first=Danielle |date=February 11, 2025 |title=Bon Iver Announce New Album SABLE, fABLE |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2296463/bon-iver-announce-new-album-sable-fable/news/ |access-date=February 11, 2025 |website=Stereogum}} The first single "Everything Is Peaceful Love" was released on February 14, 2025, alongside a music video directed by filmmaker John Wilson. "If Only I Could Wait" and "Walk Home" were released as singles simultaneously on March 14, 2025.{{Cite web |last=Green |first=Walden |date=March 14, 2025 |title=Bon Iver Share New Songs "If Only I Could Wait" and "Walk Home" |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/bon-iver-share-new-songs-if-only-i-could-wait-and-walk-home-listen/ |access-date=March 14, 2025 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}}

In promotion of the album, the band announced collaborations with 31 brands, including Rough Trade East and Todd Snyder, all of which were only available on release day.{{Cite web |date=2025-04-11 |title=Bon Iver Announce More Than Two Dozen 'SABLE, fABLE' Brand Collabs For Fragrance, Matcha, Flowers, Smoked Salmon, Tattoos, & More |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2303829/bon-iver-announce-more-than-two-dozen-sable-fable-brand-collabs-for-fragrance-matcha-flowers-smoked-salmon-tattoos-more/news/ |access-date=2025-04-11 |website=Stereogum |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Kaufman |first=Gil |date=2025-04-11 |title=Bon Iver Goes All-In on ‘Sable, Fable’ Album Product Collabs, From Smoked Salmon to Vegan Ice Cream & Cashmere Hoodies |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/bon-iver-product-collabs-sable-fable-album-full-list-1235944159/ |access-date=2025-04-13 |website=Billboard |language=en-US}} A "state fair" album release party took place on April 12, a day after the album's release, at the Terasaki Budokan in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles.{{Cite web |date=2025-04-07 |title=Bon Iver Announce "State Fair" Album Release Party With Basketball Tournament This Saturday In LA |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2303314/bon-iver-announce-state-fair-album-release-party-with-basketball-tournament-this-saturday-in-la/news/ |access-date=2025-04-11 |website=Stereogum |language=en}} Multiple listening events, dubbed "Fable Spaces", were also organized on April 9 at certain locations around the world.{{Cite web |title=Bon Iver announces global listening events, fABLE sPACEs |url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/news/bon-iver-announces-global-listening-events-fable-spaces |access-date=2025-04-13 |website=The Line of Best Fit |language=en-US}}

{{Music ratings

| ADM = 7.8/10{{cite web|url=http://www.anydecentmusic.com/review/14276/Bon-Iver-SABLE-fABLE.aspx|title=Sable, Fable by Bon Iver reviews|publisher=AnyDecentMusic?|access-date=April 11, 2025}}

| MC = 83/100{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/sable-fable/bon-iver/|title=Sable, Fable by Bon Iver Reviews and Tracks|publisher=Metacritic|access-date=April 9, 2025}}

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{rating|2.5|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/sable-fable-mw0004475836|title=Sable, Fable – Bon Iver|publisher=AllMusic|last=Sendra|first=Tim|access-date=April 11, 2025}}

| rev2 = The A.V. Club

| rev2score = A-{{Cite web |last=Keates |first=Emma |date=April 12, 2025 |title=Bon Iver pens a surprisingly bright new chapter on SABLE, fABLE |url=https://www.avclub.com/bon-iver-sable-fable-review-album-justin-vernon |access-date=April 13, 2025 |website=The A.V. Club}}

| rev3 = Clash

| rev3score = 9/10{{Cite web |last=Watkins |first=Michael |date=2025-04-10 |title=Bon Iver - SABLE, fABLE {{!}} Reviews |url=https://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/bon-iver-sable-fable/ |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & Interviews |language=en-GB}}

| rev4 = The Daily Telegraph

| rev4score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/concerts/bon-iver-sable-fable-review/|title=Bon Iver, Sable, Fable, review: Their most honest album yet|work=The Daily Telegraph|last=Hall|first=James|last2=Platt|first2=Poppie|date=April 11, 2025|access-date=April 12, 2025|url-access=subscription}}

| rev5 = DIY

| rev5score = {{rating|5|5}}{{Cite web |date=2025-04-10 |title=Bon Iver - SABLE, fABLE |url=https://diymag.com/review/album/bon-iver-sable-fable |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=DIY |language=en}}

| rev6 = MusicOMH

| rev6score = {{rating|4.5|5}}{{Cite web |last=Livesey |first=Donovan |date=2025-04-08 |title=Bon Iver - SABLE, fABLE {{!}} Album Of The Week, Album Reviews |url=https://www.musicomh.com/reviews/albums/bon-iver-sable-fable |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=musicOMH |language=en-GB}}

| rev7 = NME

| rev7score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/bon-iver-sable-fable-review-3853498|title=Bon Iver – 'Sable, Fable' review|work=NME|last=Hunt|first=El|date=April 10, 2025|access-date=April 10, 2025}}

| rev8 = The Observer

| rev8score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/apr/11/bon-iver-sable-fable-review-justin-vernon-most-easy-going-record-yet|title=Bon Iver: Sable, Fable review – Justin Vernon’s most easy-going record yet|work=The Observer|last=Empire|first=Kitty|author-link=Kitty Empire|date=April 11, 2025|access-date=April 11, 2025}}

| rev9 = Pitchfork

| rev9score = 8.1/10{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/bon-iver-sable-fable/|title=Bon Iver: Sable, Fable|work=Pitchfork|last=Ross|first=Alex Robert|date=April 10, 2025|access-date=April 10, 2025}}

| rev10 = Rolling Stone

| rev10score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/bon-iver-sable-fable-review-1235311685/|title=Bon Iver Lets a Little Light In|magazine=Rolling Stone|last=Lu|first=Leah|date=April 7, 2025|access-date=April 9, 2025}}

}}

Sable, Fable received acclaim from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 83, based on 24 reviews, which indicates "universal acclaim".

All tracks are produced by Justin Vernon and Jim-E Stack and additionally produced by Asher Weisberg and Ryan Olson, except where listed.

{{Track listing

| headline = Disc one – Sable track listing

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| total_length = 12:17

| title1 = ...

| writer1 = {{hlist|Justin Vernon|Phil Cook|Trever Hagen}}

| length1 = 0:12

| extra1 = {{hlist|Vernon|Stack|Weisberg{{ref|a|[a]}}}}

| title2 = Things Behind Things Behind Things

| writer2 = {{hlist|Vernon|Cook|Hagen}}

| length2 = 3:20

| extra2 = {{hlist|Vernon|Stack|Weisberg{{ref|a|[a]}}}}

| title3 = Speyside

| writer3 = {{hlist|Vernon|Ryan Olson|BJ Burton}}

| length3 = 3:29

| extra3 = {{hlist|Vernon|Stack|Weisberg{{ref|a|[a]}}}}

| title4 = Awards Season

| writer4 = {{hlist|Vernon|Michael Lewis}}

| length4 = 5:16

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Disc two – Fable track listing

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| total_length = 29:20

| title1 = Short Story

| length1 = 1:56

| writer1 = {{hlist|Vernon|Stack|Eli Teplin|Kacy Hill|Weisberg}}

| title2 = Everything Is Peaceful Love

| writer2 = {{hlist|Vernon|Burton|Stack}}

| length2 = 3:30

| extra2 = {{hlist|Vernon|Stack|Burton|Weisberg{{ref|a|[a]}}|Olson{{ref|a|[a]}}}}

| title3 = Walk Home

| writer3 = {{hlist|Vernon|Stack|Teplin|Lewis}}

| length3 = 3:46

| title4 = Day One

| note4 = featuring Dijon and Flock of Dimes

| length4 = 3:33

| writer4 = {{hlist|Vernon|Dijon Duenas|Jenn Wasner|Burton|Ilsey Juber|Samuel Tsang}}

| extra4 = {{hlist|Vernon|Stack|Tsang|Weisberg{{ref|a|[a]}}|Olson{{ref|a|[a]}}}}

| title5 = From

| length5 = 3:03

| writer5 = {{hlist|Vernon|Tobias Jesso Jr.|Juber|Jacob Collier|Stack|Michael Gordon}}

| title6 = I'll Be There

| length6 = 2:55

| writer6 = {{hlist|Vernon|Danielle Haim|Weisberg|Teplin|Lewis|Stack}}

| title7 = If Only I Could Wait

| note7 = featuring Danielle Haim

| writer7 = {{hlist|Vernon|Stack|Haim}}

| length7 = 3:22

| title8 = There's a Rhythmn

| length8 = 5:16

| writer8 = {{hlist|Vernon|Sean Carey|Teplin|Stack|Juber}}

| extra8 = {{hlist|Vernon|Stack|Brian F Joseph{{ref|i|[i]}}|Weisberg{{ref|a|[a]}}|Olson{{ref|a|[a]}}}}

| title9 = Au Revoir

| length9 = 2:02

| writer9 = {{hlist|Vernon|Andrew Fitzpatrick|Carey|Matthew McCaughan|Wasner|Lewis|Chris Messina}}

}}

Notes

• "..." is only present as a separate track on digital editions. Physical editions bundle it with "Things Behind Things Behind Things" for a combined length of 3:33.
• On vinyl, "Awards Season" ends with a droning noise in the locked groove, which would normally transition into "Short Story".
• {{sup|{{note|a|[a]}}}} signifies an additional producer
• {{sup|{{note|i|[i]}}}} signifies an initial producer
• "Awards Season" contains a sample of "Miles Away", written and performed by Phil Cook featuring Amelia Meath.

Bon Iver

• Justin Vernon – vocals, guitar, bass, engineering, mixing, drums (1, 2), keyboards (4)
• Michael Lewis – piano, organ, saxophone (4)

Additional musicians

• Greg Leisz – guitar (1, 2, 4)
• Ben Lester – guitar (1, 2)
• Trever Hagen – flute, trumpet (1, 2)
• Rob Moose – viola (3)
• Eli Teplin – synthesizer (4)
• Blake Morgan – vocals (4)
• Carter Faith – vocals (4)

Technical

• Ian Gold – engineering
• Kyle Parker Smith – additional engineering
• Asher Weisberg – additional engineering, assistance
• BJ Burton – engineering (4)
• Javier Martinez Cruces – engineering (4)
• Tofer Brown – recording (4)
• Heba Kadry – mastering

Bon Iver

• Justin Vernon – vocals (all), bass (1–6, 8), guitar (1, 2, 4, 5, 7–9), synthesizer (1, 3), keyboards (2, 5, 6, 9), samples (3, 7), Wurlitzer (4, 8), drums (5, 6), percussion (6, 8)
• Jenn Wasner – vocals (1, 3, 4, 8), synthesizer (2, 3), group improvisation (9)
• Sean Carey – vocals (1, 8), brushes (6), slab (7), drums, keyboards (8), group improvisation (9)
• Michael Lewis – piano, horns (6), slab (7), saxophone (7, 8), group improvisation (9)
• Andrew Fitzpatrick – group improvisation (9)
• Matt McCaughan – group improvisation (9)

Additional musicians

{{div col}}

• Jim-E Stack – drums (1–4, 6, 7), samples (3, 6, 7), programming (5), piano (9)
• Eli Teplin – piano (1, 3, 4, 6, 8), keyboards (4, 6, 8), slab (7)
• Rob Moose – violin, viola (1–3, 7, 8), arrangements (1, 2, 3)
• Blake Morgan – vocals (1, 6)
• Alan Good Parker – guitar (1, 6)
• Rahm Silverglade – synthesizer (1)
• Kacy Hill – vocals (1)
• Asher Weisberg – granular synthesis (2), wrangling (6)
• Greg Leisz – guitar (2, 8)
• Ben Lester – guitar (2)
• BJ Burton – drums (2)
• Samuel Tsang – piano, synthesizer, programming (4)
• Dijon – vocals (4)
• Cory Henry – guitar (4)
• MonoNeon – guitar (4, 6)
• Alaina Rose Brown – vocals (5, 6, 8)
• Denise Stoudmire – vocals (5, 6, 8)
• Joshua Brown – vocals (5, 6, 8)
• Jacob Collier – vocals (5)
• Michael Gordon – guitar (5), piano, organ (6)
• Danielle Haim – vocals (6, 7)
• Brian F. Joseph – drums (8)
• Chris Messina – group improvisation (9)

{{div col end}}

Technical

• Justin Vernon – engineering
• Ian Gold – engineering
• Rob Moose – engineering (1, 2, 7, 8)
• BJ Burton – engineering (2)
• Javier Martinez Cruces – engineering (4)
• Vic Steffens – engineering (5, 6, 8)
• Brian F. Joseph – initial production and engineering (8)
• Asher Weisberg – additional engineering, assistance
• Joe Richmond – additional engineering
• David Wrench – mixing (1, 6–9)
• Keiron Beardmore – mixing (2–4)
• Matt Wolach – mixing (2–4)
• Mark "Spike" Stent – mixing (2–4)
• Shawn Everett – mixing (5)
• Heba Kadry – mastering

Visual

• Justin Vernon – art direction
• Miles Johnson – art direction
• Ruben Nusz – art direction

{{Reflist}}

{{Bon Iver}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2025 albums

Category:Bon Iver albums

Category:Jagjaguwar albums

Category:Albums produced by Justin Vernon

Category:Albums produced by Jim-E Stack