Grade: A-
Bon Iver’s second album, “Bon Iver, Bon Iver,” brought Justin Vernon great acclaim and a Grammy Award.
Now, five years later, Vernon has released a new album that sounds very different from the last. It may be a harder listen, but it is ultimately just as satisfying.
“22, A Million” lays out its mission statement through its first song, “22 (OVER S∞∞N).”
Dissonant electronic effects whirl around your ears for about 20 seconds, until Vernon’s calm voice enters. This opening lets you know that this album will experiment with form, even as Vernon’s voice shines through.
This album has some eclectic instrument choices. Vernon uses everything from saxophones to a TE OP-1 sampler to create a beautiful yet frenzied electronic wasteland of sound. It is a far cry from the relaxed, folk-infused music of Bon Iver’s last album.
Even Vernon’s voice frequently has a distinctly electronic accent throughout much of “22, A Million.” His use of autotune never feels like a gimmick, though. Instead, it helps express themes of alienation and loneliness that are emotional trademarks of his work through Bon Iver.
There is still some music that fans of Bon Iver’s last album will like. But you get the sense that Vernon is moving away from his old direction. He said in a recent Fact interview that he “went looking for new sparks” on this album, and he certainly found them.
One track can make liberal use of calm guitars and strings, like “29 #Strafford APTS.” But then another track will feature a jolting drum machine, like on “10 d E A T h b R E a s T ⚄ ⚄.”
The last song on this album, “00000 Million,” is a great fusion of Vernon’s past work and his new, more electronic direction. Vernon’s voice is electronically enhanced, but the melancholy lyrics and the presence of an acoustic guitar make it sound like classic Bon Iver.
The music may change, but thankfully Vernon’s narrative voice will stay the same.
