Product Description

Retreating to a woodland cabin in Northwest Wisconsin at the beginning of Winter to hibernate and escape from the breakup of his previous band, Justin Vernon ended up writing andrecording what would become his debut album under the name Bon Iver. A mix of lo-fi acoustic folk and reflective lyrics, the album was picked up by 4AD and Jagjaguwar for a full release worldwide after an initial self-released run. The single 'Skinny Love' is also included.

Track Listing

1. Flume
2. Lump Sum
3. Skinny Love
4. Wolves (Act I And II)
5. Blindsided
6. Creature Fear
7. Team
8. For Emma
9. Re:Stacks

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #89 in Music
• Released on: 2008-03-24
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: CD

Amazon.co.uk Review
It's hard to believe that For Emma, Forever Ago is the work of one man. But when Justin Vernon's old band split he hauled himself (and presumably plenty of instruments and recording equipment) to his dad's hunting cabin in the woods of Wisconsin for the coldest season and worked through his issues in musical form. (The name comes from the French for "good winter"--"bon hiver"). By the start of the spring thaw he had recorded the bulk of this stunning debut, originally self-issued to acclaim last year in the USA and now picked up for a British release. Vernon's voice grabs the ear from the start, switching easily into a smooth falsetto (and unusually for a white indie lad, without the slightest intent of emulating Prince). The formula is straightforward. He layers his vocal harmonies, while a gently strummed acoustic rhythm guitar just about holds the centre. All else from horns to slide guitar is mere detail. The quality is rough and ready but the effect is strangely similar though to the slick vocal confections of European women like Bjork and Camille, all mystery and distance. It's the musical equivalent of reading someone else's diary. In code. Through a dirty window. Enigmatic songs like the elegantly stumbling "Creature Fear" with its rowdy horn parts, the resolute opener "Flume" and the evanescent "Team" are just so pretty they seem to glide by without leaving a mark in the snow. Vernon is apparently a straightforward and friendly guy, but For Emma, Forever Ago genuinely sounds like something from a far off place. --Steve Jelbert

Amazon.co.uk Review
It's hard to believe that For Emma, Forever Ago is the work of one man. But when Justin Vernon's old band split he hauled himself (and presumably plenty of instruments and recording equipment) to his dad's hunting cabin in the woods of Wisconsin for the coldest season and worked through his issues in musical form. (The name comes from the French for "good winter"--"bon hiver"). By the start of the spring thaw he had recorded the bulk of this stunning debut, originally self-issued to acclaim last year in the USA and now picked up by 4AD for a British release. Vernon's voice grabs the ear from the start, switching easily into a smooth falsetto (and unusually for a white indie lad, without the slightest intent of emulating Prince). The formula is straightforward. He layers his vocal harmonies, while a gently strummed acoustic rhythm guitar just about holds the centre. All else from horns to slide guitar is mere detail. The quality is rough and ready but the effect is strangely similar though to the slick vocal confections of European women like Bjork and Camille, all mystery and distance. It's the musical equivalent of reading someone else's diary. In code. Through a dirty window. Enigmatic songs like the elegantly stumbling "Creature Fear" with its rowdy horn parts, the resolute opener "Flume" and the evanescent "Team" are just so pretty they seem to glide by without leaving a mark in the snow. Vernon is apparently a straightforward and friendly guy, but For Emma, Forever Ago genuinely sounds like something from a far off place. --Steve Jelbert

Amazon.co.uk Review
It's hard to believe that For Emma, Forever Ago is the work of one man. But when Justin Vernon's old band split he hauled himself (and presumably plenty of instruments and recording equipment) to his dad's hunting cabin in the woods of Wisconsin for the coldest season and worked through his issues in musical form. (The name comes from the French for "good winter"--"bon hiver"). By the start of the spring thaw he had recorded the bulk of this stunning debut, originally self-issued to acclaim last year in the USA and now picked up for a British release. Vernon's voice grabs the ear from the start, switching easily into a smooth falsetto (and unusually for a white indie lad, without the slightest intent of emulating Prince). The formula is straightforward. He layers his vocal harmonies, while a gently strummed acoustic rhythm guitar just about holds the centre. All else from horns to slide guitar is mere detail. The quality is rough and ready but the effect is strangely similar though to the slick vocal confections of European women like Bjork and Camille, all mystery and distance. It's the musical equivalent of reading someone else's diary. In code. Through a dirty window. Enigmatic songs like the elegantly stumbling "Creature Fear" with its rowdy horn parts, the resolute opener "Flume" and the evanescent "Team" are just so pretty they seem to glide by without leaving a mark in the snow. Vernon is apparently a straightforward and friendly guy, but For Emma, Forever Ago genuinely sounds like something from a far off place. --Steve Jelbert

Customer Reviews

Pleasant
If you like Sufjan Stevens, Beirut or Bright Eyes, you'll like this. It's very nice, mellow and easy to listen to (if a bit 'samey'), but at the end of it you may well be longing for something a bit more LOUD AND SHOUTY to wake you up.

Can't get it out of my head/CD player
I just lovingly crafted a review of this album and lost my internet connection as I tried to save it, so forgive the brevity, but I can't summon a second one up.

In short, just days before stumbling upon this album, I was wondering to myself if all the ideas had been had, whether an artist would ever sweep me off my feet again. The answer to the former was 'no', the latter a definite 'yes'.

Buy this album, for God's sake buy it - and get a dust sheet for the rest of your CDs cos they're not gonna see much use for a while.

Notes From A Privileged Isolation
That Mr Vernon-Iver should have entitled one of the nine extraordinary
songs on this weirdly wonderful album 'Wolves (Act1 & Act2)' would alone
have been enough to have caught my attention had not our dear friends at
Amazon also kindly included it in their increasingly astute recommendations
for me.

Isolation is a privilege. Few of us, whether we chose to or not, have the
opportunity to be completely alone. The world will not let us unless we find
that rare opening to some small space where we might rehearse being
ourselves entirely. (Or failing that at least borrow a little time for self-reflection).

Far fewer still are those of us fortunate enough to own a father
with a hunting cabin in Wisconsin.

That said, 'For Emma, Forever Ago', shows evidence of an opportunity
well taken.

Isolation experienced wisely both refines and distorts perception and
there is more than a little madness present in these fine compositions.

There is also an elusive, ephemeral beauty.
The mood of the album is predominantly low-key and reflective in mood.

Mr Vernon's voice possesses a languid charm. Its' high register coaxing
a persuasive gravitas from his material.

'Flume' is worthy opening track but the haunting harmonies of 'Lump Sum'
sweep it away without our barely noticing.

"Skinny Love' is a wistful, almost-but-not-quite-jolly, ditty with a simple
sing-along chorus. The Wolf found himself joining in with the "my, my, mys"
despite himself.

Any song about my own species is bound to satisfy and 'Wolves (Act1 & Act2)'
is no exception. Simplicity and economy once again win the day. The harmonies
are splendid and the percussive intrusions at it's dark centre positively barmy.

'Blindsided' is a truly lovely song. Perhaps the album's highpoint. The subtle
use of brass enhancing the exceptionally well-wrought melodic line.

'Creature Fear' and 'Team' both make judicious use of the drumkit our hero
must have taken to the wilderness with him. ( I'm betting his Dad has got a truck
as well as a log cabin !).

The warm brass appears once again in 'For Emma' ( Things must have been getting
pretty crowded in there by this time !).

'Re : Stacks' is a fine ending to a fine project. Mr Vernon's guitar playing heard
here at it's economical best.

The Cold Good Winter seems to me to have been well spent.

Would that I could have been there with him for a while.

Recommended.