Bon Iver's debut album "For Emma, Forever Ago", the majority of which was recorded while Vernon spent three months in a cabin in northwestern Wisconsin, was released in July of 2007. Vernon claims, "I left North Carolina and went up there because I didn't know where else to go and I knew that I wanted to be alone and I knew that I wanted to be where it was cold". Despite the brilliance each song in this album possesses, my favorite is "Creature Fear".
The band's second album "Bon Iver, Bon Iver", was released on June 21st, 2011. The album is composed of 10 songs and features bass saxophonist Colin Stetson and pedal-steel guitarist Greg Leisz. Vernon explained that each song on this album represents a place. For example the song "Perth" was described as a "Civil War-sounding heavy metal song". This album was also said to be more electrified and elaborately arranged than the band's previous album "For Emma, Forever Ago".
The band earned four nominations for the 54th Grammy Awards: Best New Artist, Best Alternative Music Album, Song of the Year, and Record of the Year. In 2012, Bon Iver won the 2012 Grammy Awards for Best New Artist and Best Alternative Music Album, beating Radiohead, Death Cab for Cutie, Foster the People, and My Morning Jacket.
More recently however, Justin Vernon and his hometown friend and master luthier, Gordy Bischoff, have teamed up to develop a custom baritone guitar amde with original white oak wood from Bushmills Irish Whiskey Barrels, called "The 1608". "The 1608" will be auctioned off until November 22nd proceeds will go to The Confluence Project, which intends to create a new Community Arts Center at the confluence of Chippewa and Eau Claire rivers in Eau Claire, WI.
"The goal is to put art back on the map in Eau Claire. Far too many artists from this area have had to leave because what we want to do with our lives just isn’t possible here. That’s what the Confluence Project is: to build a center that can be a nucleus for art here in Eau Claire.” – Justin Vernon
Your blog is interesting and inviting. I enjoyed reading it, you held my interest through out the whole thing. Maybe you could revise your thesis or come up with a stronger one. For your next post consider writing about Bon Iver on tour.
ReplyDeleteI think your blog is interesting because i didn't know who this band was but try to throw a hook in there, it might help draw in other readers.
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