Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago

For Emma, Forever Ago (2008, Jagjaguwar) Bon Iver's first studio album. ***1/2

From his name, I automatically thought Van Morrison. This even before I knew he had a rootsy-folk sound. Then when I started the album there were the signature rolling acoustic guitars that also open Van Morrison's brilliant Astral Weeks. After about twenty seconds I then expected to hear the trademark wailing vocals that we know so well, but instead was treated to Sam Beam-like falsetto. I sat there for a moment, almost perplexed, and thought "Well gee, this ain't bad."

Bon Iver isn't the most original artist in the world, and the songs are very elementary in structure, but it's his voice, his lyrics that make For Emma what it is. And what it is is a great start to a what should be a very bright songwriting career. "Flume" is the album's greatest point, unfortunately for us it's in the beginning. Still, the way Bon Iver's voice sways, the play with stressed and unstressed words is haunting. And although the obvious influence is Iron & Wine, there is no need to go overboard; there are far more differences in their deliveries that it's almost not worth mentioning. Iron & Wine has the tendency to make songs more complex, either from the beginning or as the song travels on. Bon Iver, though, is very content with a simple strum of his guitar, even if it's just a few basic chords. I'm okay with it, too.