Despite the ubiquity of ‘Skinny Love’ earlier in the year, ‘For Emma’ – the half-title track of Bon Iver’s debut album – is actually the first official single to be released by the band. Not only does it provide fitting accompaniment to their first proper headline tour this side of the Atlantic, but such was the consistent brilliance of For Emma, Forever Ago, it is actually quite refreshing to take one of its many standout songs on its own and really give it a listen.
Despite the pervading misery of the messy break-up lyrics, it is actually one of Justin Vernon’s more positive songs, musically speaking. The trademark aching vocal is set against rhythmic acoustic guitar, with the opening horn section as warm and comforting as a Hovis advert. In contrast to the gentle melancholy of the music, the somewhat difficult to decipher lyrics are filled with tension and resentment directed towards the eponymous ex: “Go find yourself another lover…to string along”, sings Vernon, before launching into perhaps his most memorable chorus. Another delightful instrumental positively blooming with brass and slide guitar and the fleeting moment of a song disappears from whence it came.
The B-side comes in the form of ‘Wisconsin’, perhaps a paen to the secluded cabin in which the album was written. A more subdued, hymn-like affair, Vernon’s striking vocal is left to hang above the minimal atmospheric backing. In fact, it sounds more like it was recorded under water than its origins in the snowy wilderness. Recorded as part of the For Emma, Forever Ago sessions, it is no surprise that the song gives off the same air of gloomy despair as the rest of the band’s work: “That was Wisconsin, that was yesterday / Now I have nothing that I can keep / Cos any place I go I take another place with me”. It is undoubtedly a song that could feature on any album of worth, including For Emma, Forever Ago.
Just as the appearance of ‘Skinny Love’ and Vernon’s show-stealing Later… solo performance announced the arrival of Bon Iver’s falsetto Americana earlier in this most British of summers, so ‘For Emma’ serves as a timely reminder that there are a couple more seasons left for their music to soundtrack. One of the standout tracks on a memorable album, few finer songs will be heard this year.
*****
First published on rockfeedback.com. See it here.
No comments:
Post a Comment