Bon Iver – ‘Sable, Fable’ album review: a pleasant journey through pain and peace
THE SKINNY: Justin Vernon’s first full release in six years isn’t a reckoning like much of today’s music that explores life’s complicated ambiguities. Instead, it tackles two distinct segments: the pain of the past and the hope for the future. As a result, Bon Iver becomes a conduit for reflections on everything that pushes us between light and dark, finding that sweet spot where despair transforms into liberation.
For the most part, this works well, as long as the expectation placed on Sable, Fable isn’t for it to be perfectly coherent. Not all new releases need to feel tightly pulled together with clear direction, and often, this approach works in Bon Iver’s favour. However, certain parts stand out more than others, resulting in a slightly disjointed whole that is sometimes let down by its own quiet weaknesses.
That said, among the standouts are undeniably ‘Awards Season’, ‘Day One’, and the beautifully executed collaboration with Danielle Haim, ‘If Only I Could Wait’. Although not always clear in what it’s setting out to achieve, Sable, Fable is perfectly punctuated by these stronger tracks, providing for a generally pleasant listen that offers a moment of blissful respite amid life’s unrelenting chaos.
Accentuating this even further is Bon Iver’s penchant for oscillating between different dynamics and blending the subtleties of various genres to create a haze of swirling sounds and arrangements. On some occasions, these slight inconsistencies can feel a bit confusing, pushing aside the niceties to make room for a more perplexing artistic expression.
Other times, however, they create space for the music to breathe and evolve, offering a place where ambiguity and imperfection mirror the nature of life and healing itself.
For fans of: Background music to aid relaxation.
A concluding comment from my scathing mother: “I’ll forget all about this as soon as it stops playing.”
Sable Fable track by track:
Release date: April 11th | Producer: Justin Vernon and Jim-E Stack | Label: Jagjaguwar
‘Things Behind Things Behind Things’: The underlying arrangements shine the most here, with delicate folkish musings that charge the track forward, even when the rest feels a little too lost in its own haze to draw any tangible emotional connection. [2/5]
‘Speyside’: Leaning more heavily into what makes this record great, this track stands out if only for the powerful vocal delivery, providing momentary respite amid life’s louder moments. [3.5/5]
‘Awards Season’: Sometimes good music is all about the simpler pleasures. While ‘Awards Season’ might not stand out for any other reason than how much it demands attention, that seems all that’s needed to feel like a sparkle in the dark or another moment of slow contemplation amid the chaos. [4/5]
‘Short Story’: A subtle change of pace, ‘Short Story’ starts slowly before exploding into something more blissfully charming, the dazzler centring around the push and pull between confronting and more reserved sparkles of deliberation. [3/5]
‘Everything Is Peaceful Love’: Despite an endearing melody, this track falls a little flat among the others, likely due to each arrangement coming across as a little too polished to spotlight the substance. [2/5]
‘Walk Home’: Another that gets a little lost along the way, ‘Walk Home’ feels a little misplaced against the rawness of the opening tracks, though it’s less likely to decipher whether this is due to a lack of direction or a desire to explore sonic variation. [2.5/5]
‘Day One’: Dripping with inexplicable nostalgia, ‘Day One’ picks up the pace with earnest, gracefully drifting between contemporary and old tropes to capture the spirited essence of Bon Iver’s stylistic appeal. [4/5]
‘From’: It’s almost surprising how easily this record feels like something you might have heard before. However, that’s more of a compliment than a result of imitation, with ‘From’ sparking unexpected emotions and enjoyment in the overwhelming familiarity of it all. [3.5/5]
‘I’ll Be There’: Although a nice tune, this one also gets a little lost among the rest. However, that might not necessarily be negative, as its subtlety proves the broader authenticity of an album that creates a pleasant backdrop to an otherwise convoluted landscape. [2.5/5]
‘If Only I Could Wait’: Rife with varying textures and rhythms, ‘If Only I Could Wait’ feels endearingly upbeat and summery, like a much-needed sign of the changing seasons, with gorgeously executed contributions from Danielle Haim. [4/5]
‘There’s A Rhythm’: Upon multiple listens, it becomes clear that, towards the end of the album, Bon Iver truly shines. Each track grows stronger than the last, with ‘There’s A Rhythm’ capturing the essence of ambiguous healing and everything that comes with the knowledge of life’s incessant curveballs. [4/5]
‘Au Revoir’: A peaceful album closer, ‘Au Revoir’ serves as a reflective ending, dancing its twinkling notes over underlying contemplation. [3/5]
Never Miss A Beat
The Far Out New Music Newsletter
All the latest New Music from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.