For Emma (and you too)

The story behind Bon Iver’s For Emma, Forever Ago has become something of an indie legend.

In case you haven’t heard it already: after breaking up with both his band and his girlfriend, and recovering from a bad case of mono, Justin Vernon retreated to his father’s cabin in the Wisconsin woods for three months.

But that time alone was hardly wasted. Developing a new songwriting style and trading in his growling vocals for a falsetto, Vernon spent the days recording delicate, impressionistic, complexly layered folk songs.

He emerged from the cabin with what he thought was a nine-song demo recording, but what turned out to be the core of his solo debut.

Self-released under Bon Iver, (a misspelling of the French greeting “bon hiver” or “good winter” and picked up from the television show “Northern Exposure”) buzz rapidly grew about For Emma, leading to high critical praise, a re-release by local label Jagjaguwar Records, international tours and newfound success.

But if For Emma was largely the sound of one man and his laptop alone in a cabin, what should the Bloomington audience expect this Tuesday when Bon Iver plays at the Waldron Arts Center?

Calling the project of adapting his digitally arranged solo pieces for live performance “a challenge, but a fun challenge,” Vernon is now supported by his former student Mike Noyce on guitar and Sean Carey on drums.

The resulting live show, he said, is the “more masculine” counterpart to the “more feminine” For Emma in that it’s more extroverted, with more use of electric guitars over acoustic, making it feel “more live and in your face.”

This process of developing live versions of the album’s songs has even come to incorporate Bon Iver’s fans. For the gospel-like vocals of “The Wolves (Act I and II),” Vernon sometimes turns to the audience to sing along with the band.

“I wanted to hear more voices, but couldn’t afford to bring 20 more people on tour,” he said.

That might seem like a bit much to expect of a song only just released last year, but Vernon’s music manages to attract a rare level of devotion.

“In the first week of getting his record … I listened to each song over 100 times,” IU junior Tim Smiley said. “And surprisingly, it still reaches frequent rotation by me.”
Bon Iver’s songs are not the only things that have had to adjust.

With the popularity of For Emma, Vernon has gotten used to extensive touring, and all its difficulties (including having his wallet and passport stolen during the Austin, Texas, South by Southwest Festival).

His current tour will last 11 weeks and will again take him to Europe. But Vernon was already eager to get back on the road.

“I’m ready to go,” he said.

Since writing For Emma, Vernon has embraced a philosophy of simply following where the songs lead him.

While he works on his music, he doesn’t make songs cohere into an album or adopt a specific style. For example, regarding his switch to falsetto vocals, he said he just happened to notice that that was the direction the songs were taking.

 “I like that it was a new discovery,” Vernon said. “It keeps you honest, keeps you on your toes.”

One new path he has expressed interest in is soundtracking films. And, indeed, while nothing was yet official, Vernon said he had been contacted about writing the music for an upcoming movie and, having studied the script, was waiting to work with the director and producer.

Further, while Bon Iver’s lyrics have thus far been concerned with abstract imagery rather than politics, he was energized by the presidential campaign of Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.; he was unsure about whether he’d be willing to play a rally or not.

“I don’t know if it’s super important for musicians to sell their politicians,” he said, but added that he was “extremely excited to be an American right now.”

In the nearer term, Vernon is looking forward to performing again in Bloomington.
A previous appearance at Bear’s Place was cut short by sickness, which will make Tuesday his first full Bloomington show. In addition, he anticipated visiting friends at Jagjaguwar Records.

“It’s very Midwestern,” he said of Bloomington. “It’s pretty easy to like it.”
Indeed, Vernon is very Midwestern himself, having just bought a place of his own in Wisconsin where he can indulge in his habit of writing on walls.

Asked what his reaction was to going from an unknown musician alone in a cabin, to his current situation, the acclaimed singer-songwriter found himself almost at a loss for words.

“I don’t know,” he said. “Just surprise. Like: ‘Wow!’”