Review Summary: Just close your eyes and hear.
All that can be said about Bon Iver and the latest album,
Bon Iver, Bon Iver has been said and in its manifest acclimation, the endearing and bittersweet symphony of gorgeous noise, which twists and turns to places that you couldn’t expected -- it is hard to think or even ponder that the music might be tweaked into something more stunning. Yet, earlier this year, Justin Vernon teamed up with his number one band man, Sean Carey, to create simplistic yet hardly disjointed, arrangements of current and past songs in a more touching and authentic way than you have heard any Bon Iver song ever before.
Bon Iver in the Studio is wholesome in its approach as the songs were all recorded in one sitting, giving off the obvious feelings of fluency and melancholy between Vernon and Carey.
All the arrangements are played between duelling piano and vocals, giving off a grandiose vibe to the whole soundscape. The real mesmerizing moments of this recording is surprisingly (yet also not that shocking) the vocals and intimate piano work of Carey. Through the rapid rise of Bon Iver, Carey’s talent has delightfully yet eloquently placed itself on a pedestal of awe, which is shown off also in his solo project, S. Carey. He showcases with subtlety here, with solemn piano parts and swooning harmonious that tickle. Of course Vernon is the key focus, with his trademark falsetto projecting through angelically as always and the fantastic arrangements place this in higher presence than ever before. For example, on the album recording, ‘Wash.’ is almost to distant and dissonant to really feel the full grain of its growth, yet here, there is a more dynamic and counter rhythmic approach to the whole fanfare, giving it more... grit. In total, the 24 minutes that is on display showcases why Bon Iver is grasping such a wide audience and Grammy award winning. Its Vernon’s simplistic approach, fulfilled with organic and appealing charm that stems from the musicianship around him.
