Initially, I had been contemplating about introducing an artist with pulsating high energy tunes – but during these wee hours of the night, as I sit, curled up and shivering beneath the single layer of my deflated (but full of intent) comforter – a soft wistful chord feels a bit more appealing over what now sounds like gaudy, over-the-top, rhythmic pounding.

Bon Iver’s (“bon hiver” or “good winter” in French) gentle mourning calls out to me.

Justin Vernon (front man of the former DeYarmond Edison), aka Bon Iver, thought up his alias and began working on songs as a form of introspective release during a solitary three months in a remote cabin surrounded by the brisk Wisconsin cold. With nothing more than some old recording equipment, his guitar and Mother Nature – Vernon created music filled with passionate contemplation, which led him to his self-released album, For Emma, Forever Ago. While the lyrics are sometimes (purposely?) cryptic (“sold my cold knot / a heavy stone / sold my red horse for a venture home / to vanish on the bow — / settling slow”) – the melancholic drawl of Vernon’s voice coupled with simplistic, yet enchanting, guitar strums reveals a vulnerability based on a lost love which Vernon completely and unabashedly lays out for the world to hear.

It is a rarity to find an album that I can listen to from start to finish without being drawn towards the “skip” button but it is easy to refrain myself when listening to For Emma, Forever Ago. The combination of an archaic recording style and raw honesty presents a distinct timeless character embedded within each track.

While you won’t be able to find Bon Iver’s album on Amazon or iTunes just yet (trust me, I checked) – word on the street is, Vernon is set to re-release his CD with Jagjaguwar Records (of Okkervil River, The Besnard Lakes, among a few others) in early 2008 –Meaning, yet another album to add to the “wish list.” I highly anticipate hearing more about him in the near future.

Here are the few songs that I was able to scrounge up online (I can’t decide on a favorite yet). For more, you can check out Bon Iver’s Myspace or go here to stream his full album.

Bon Iver – Skinny Love

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Bon Iver – Blindsided

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Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago

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