New Bon Iver: SABLE fABLE

Listening to SABLE, fABLE, the new release from Bon Iver, it dawned on me that he and co-producer Jim-E Stack, have created a collection of songs that are deeply rooted in two american songwriting traditions without sounding like a traditional Americana or gospel or soul album.

The release is presented as Disc 1 and Disc 2. The songs on Disc 1 feature traditional Americana music elements like acoustic guitars and bowed string instruments, but they are always coupled with a non-traditional sound or treatment like a drum loop, keyboard drone, or more contemporary vocal treatment to keep them straddling two musical worlds.

Disc 2 also straddles two worlds, only this time it's exploring the gospel and soul music traditions. In the same way that they bend the Americana genre to their will, the productions on Disc 2 are future sounding takes on the Gospel and Soul productions of the '80s and '90s. There are wisps of Prince, Luther Vandross, The Winans, and the more modern FKA Twigs, Burial, and Peter Gabriel, among other on the sleeve influences that are never direct ripoffs, but delightful reminders. The album is full of hope, interesting sonically, thoughtfully arranged, and has plenty to dig into lyrically.

The album features guests Dijon, Danielle Haim, and Flock of Dimes. As noted above, SABLE, fABLE was co-produced and mixed by Justin Vernon and Jim-E Stack, engineered by Ian Gold, and mastered by Heba Kadry.