“SABLE,” - Bon Iver EP Review

Bon Iver released its first new record in more than five years, “SABLE,”. This four-song EP is a close-up into lead singer Justin Vernon’s mind.

This EP is an emotional and personal project that discusses his vices and how they have slowly taken over his life. In “AWARDS SEASON,” Vernon uses wordplay to articulate this phenomenon: “I can handle, way more than I can handle, so I keep reaching for the handle, to flood my heart.” One can infer that Vernon may have been using alcohol as a way to cope with his feelings.

Vernon speaks of feelings of inadequacy, discouragement and loss through his writing. On “THINGS BEHIND THINGS BEHIND THINGS,” he says, “I get caught looking in the mirror on the regular, and what I see there resembles some competitor.”

This self-destructive behavior he is describing can be crushing. He speaks of the longing for change but the lack of will to act on it, and this is a tough pill to swallow for many.

Much of this EP resembles the tunes of legendary songwriter and poet Leonard Cohen. Vernon draws listeners in with his soft, somber voice. Cohen used this same style to express dark feelings of depression and anguish. They also use the same technique of talk-singing and poetic writing that rhymes perfectly.

Vernon's decision to refrain from using slant rhymes, or words that have similar sounds yet don’t rhyme, makes his work more of a poem than a song. It is clear that he carefully chose each specific word in this project to describe his emotions.

However, the theme of the EP is not a negative one but rather one of self-realization and acceptance of what is and what can be changed. A light saxophone fanfare at the end of the final track gives hope to the listener that, although sometimes begrudgingly, things can change and will get better in the future.

It’s curious how the title of the project has a comma after “SABLE.” One definition for sable is “near darkness,” and the comma could be representative of the fact that his story is not over. Vernon has the ability to overcome challenges and ends “SPEYSIDE” by saying, “I really know now what had hold on me.”

Rating: 8/10

Reviewer’s Favorite Songs: “THINGS BEHIND THINGS BEHIND THINGS,” “AWARDS SEASON,” “S P E Y S I D E”

Reviewer’s Least Favorite Songs: “...”

Matthew Peters is a third-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email mbp5830@psu.edu.