Bon Iver

Bon Iver’s SABLE was a prologue mired in darkness, a controlled burn clearing the way for new possibilities. fABLE is the book that follows. Where SABLE was a work of solitude, fABLE is an outstretched hand. Radiant, ornate pop music gleams around Vernon’s voice as he focuses on a new & beautiful era.

On every song his eyes are locked with one specific person. It’s love, which means there’s an intense clarity, focus, and honesty within fABLE. It’s a portrait of a man flooded & overwhelmed by that first meeting. There’s a tableau defined by sex and irrepressible desire. This is someone filled with light and purpose seeing an entire future right in front of him: a partner, new memories, maybe a family.

There’s something undeniably healing about infatuation. Cleaving to someone else can feel like light pouring in from a door that’s suddenly swung wide. But there’s a reason SABLE, is of a piece with fABLE; the shadow still rears its head in lighter times. Even when you’ve reached a new chapter you’ll still find yourself back in your own foundational muck. A fable isn’t a fairy tale. There’s good stuff: unbridled joy & trips to Spain. But fables aren’t hinged on happy endings; they’re here to instill a lesson.

As the album winds to a close he acknowledges the need for patience and a commitment to put in the work. There’s a selfless rhythm required when enmeshing yourself with another person. The song—and by extension the entire album—is a pledge. He’s ready to find that pace.