Posted on: November 19, 2007 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

We are seriously thrilled to announce the addition of Bon Iver to the Jagjaguwar family. In early 2008 Jagjaguwar will properly release the debut full-length “For Emma, Forever Ago” that has been making major waves in critics circles based on the strength of an early artist-pressed advance cd and a couple awe-inspiring sets at CMJ a few weeks back. The New York Times called it “irresistible” and Pitchfork stamped its early review of the album with a Recommended tag. For those of you hiding away in a cabin of your own, it’s time that you hear the story, and more importantly, the music.

Bon Iver (pronounced: bohn eevair; French for “good winter” and spelled wrong on purpose) is a greeting, a celebration and a sentiment. It is a new statement of an artist moving on and establishing the groundwork for a lasting career. For Emma, Forever Ago is the debut of this lineage of songs. As a whole, the record is entirely cohesive throughout and remains centered around a particular aesthetic, prompted by the time and place for which it was recorded. Justin Vernon, the primary force behind Bon Iver, seems to have tested his boundaries to the maximum, and in doing so has managed to break free from any pre-cursing or finished forms.

It wasn’t planned. The goal was to hibernate. Vernon moved to a remote cabin in the woods of Northwestern Wisconsin at the onset of winter. He lived there alone for three months, filling his days with wood splitting and other chores around the land. This solitary time slowly began feeding a bold, uninhibited new musical focus. The days slowly evolved into nights filled with twelve-hour recording blocks, breaking only for trips on the tractor into the pines to saw and haul firewood, or for frozen sunrises high up a deer stand. All of his personal trouble, lack of perspective, heartache, longing, love, loss and guilt that had been stock piled over the course of the past six years, was suddenly purged into the form of song.

Free MP3 of “Skinny Love” from “For Emma, Forever ago”:
http://www.scjag.com/mp3/jag/skinnylove.mp3

Stream the entire album at:
http://virb.com/boniver

You can catch Bon Iver live this fall as he joins Elvis Perkins on a short jaunt through the Northeast United States and Canada.

10 Nov 07 – Madison, WI -Madison Pop Festival – Great Hall
and also on tour with Elvis Perkins-
29 Nov 07- Montreal, QC- Cabaret Music Hall
30 Nov 07- Burlington, VT- Higher Ground
2 Dec 07 – Boston, MA – Paradise
3 Dec 07 – Northampton, MA – Iron Horse
4 Dec 07 – Vienna, VA – Jammin’ Java
6 Dec 07 – Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s
7 Dec 07 – New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom

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