(pair of mirrors)

Bon Iver —  ”Michicant”

Bon Iver

First off, apologies from us here at POM. We’ve been having a simply devine and exciting summer and have been too busy to tell you all about all the good music we’ve been listening to while doing it. We’ve got lots to tell though, I promise! Let’s start with Bon Iver. 

I was kind of over Bon Iver. Don’t get me wrong, I thought For Emma For Ever Ago was great and all—loved it actually—but I just sort of thought their time had come and gone. I can’t really justify that hunch…  Given Justin Vernon’s influence on Kanye’s album last year and all the hype around Bon Iver releasing a new album it probably should have been obvious to me that this guy wasn’t exactly going anywhere, but there you have it.

Enter “Calgary” the first single of Bon Iver’s Bon Iver. Out it poured from blogs everywhere and everyone was so excited. But I was kind of “meh”. I mean, it was good I guess, but it just didn’t get me all hyped up on the new album. In fact it didn’t even move me to take note of the album’s release date. 

Then a few weeks later something happened. I woke up to a sunny apartment whose warm air and creaky floors promised a scorching summer day ahead. Tired—from what I can only imagine involved drinking too much the night before—I curled up on the couch with my boyfriend’s cat to procrastinate for as long as possible. “Michicant” filled the room and it was in that moment that I remembered what Bon Iver is all about. What is truly magical about Bon Iver is how the music can create a sense of peace that you can crawl into and nestle inside—and once you’re in there its safe and warm. I forgot about this having heard “Skinny Love” one too many times in the wrong context, and because you can’t always crawl into the peace of Bon Iver if “Calgary” comes on over the radio on a stressful busy street. 

Since the morning in the sun my opinion has been reversed and I want to offer my sincerest of apologies to Bon Iver for my lack of faith. That feeling of peace has now gotten me through a terrifying bus trip, a turbulent plane ride, and created perfect moments at a sunny cottage. The peace flows through me every time I turn it on and I think this is what makes Bon Iver so special to our generation. Its a calm that is hard to come by.  Bon Iver is every bit as special as For Emma and I’m not over Bon Iver for now or forever ago. 

-M