Originally released June 21, 2011
Reissued March 25, 2022
Jagjaguwar
2xLP (White Vinyl)
It's interesting to think of the rise in Justin Vernon's stock in the decade since Bon Iver's definitive self-titled sophomore was released. In that time we've seen him, he founded Chigliak (an imprint of JaJaguwar), diversified his collaborative portfolio to include beloved cult-and major-label artists alike (he released joint albums with Swamp Dogg, Bryce Dessner of the The National, and contributed heavily to Taylor Swift's Folklore and evermore all within a year), started new, extremely successful side-projects (Volcano Choir, Big Red Machine), and founded his own music festival. Most notably he became on of Kanye West's go-to collaborators, contributing standout features on some of the biggest hip hop albums of the previous decade (My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Watch The Throne, Yeezus), stamping his resume as a agnostic wunderkind. He transcended his image as a sad folkster n-times over. This should be a lesson to all of — if you suffer a breakup, try to catch a nasty case of mononucleosis, retreat to a solitary cabin in wooded Wisconsin, and begin a prolific music career. Hone your falsetto. Invariably, big things will come.