Bon Iver - 20, A Million

Rating: 1/5

Review:
Oh, per lease!

I had what I would normally consider to be the good fortune to have access to an advance copy of this album, but after a couple of weeks in its company, good fortune is not what it feels like.  I have liked much of Bon Iver's work up to now, but the ridiculously pretentious track listing tells you most of what you need to know about this album, I'm afraid.  It's a collection of largely unpronounceable, meaningless symbols, presumably to be read, in the time-honoured manner, as "The Artists Formerly Known As A Good Band."

The music (I use the term loosely) matches the silly incomprehensibility of the titles.  It is fragmented, full of odd, disjointed sound and lyrics and with just the occasional passage of recognisable musical structure.  I'm sure the band had a good time making this and they might well describe it as "experimental,"  but it's not made with an audience in mind and I'd describe it as self-indulgent nonsense.  I have forced myself to listen several times, but it gets no better.  There are some decent moments – but some dreadful quarters of an hour.[1]

Here's one description I've read:

"The album’s 10 poly-fi recordings are a collection of sacred moments, love’s torment and salvation, contexts of intense memories, signs that you can pin meaning onto or disregard as coincidence. If Bon Iver, Bon Iver built a habitat rooted in physical spaces, then 22, A Million is the letting go of that attachment to a place."

Er…what?  If that means anything to you whatsoever, you might enjoy this album.  Personally I'd say it was less a case of "letting go of that attachment to a place" and more letting go of any attachment to musical coherence or credibility.  I have respected and enjoyed Bon Iver's previous music, but this has very few redeeming features and I'm reluctantly compelled to denounce it as mostly vacuous drivel. 

My advice? Avoid.

[1] I adapted this line from Rossini (talking about Wagner) and am happy to acknowledge my source.