★★★★★
After a six-year hiatus, Bon Iver released a double album, SABLE, fABLE. Unlike previous releases, the man behind the band, Justin Vernon, is at the center of the project, reflecting on his past as a solitary “sad boy” and reshaping his artistic identity for the future.
Disc 1, SABLE, was released back in October 2024 as an EP. Its three songs—“THINGS BEHIND THINGS BEHIND THINGS,” “S P E Y S I D E,” and “AWARDS SEASON”—are full of stripped-back piano, acoustic guitar, and sonorous vocals. Following his previous, more experimental releases (the last being in 2019), SABLE felt like a reset for Vernon, transporting fans back to the infamous Wisconsin cabin that birthed Bon Iver’s debut album, For Emma, Forever Ago.
Yet, the success of For Emma, Forever Ago is exactly what spurred Vernon’s need for a six-year hiatus. For two decades, Vernon was tethered to the heartbroken, Twilight-esque sadness of Bon Iver. According to SABLE’s press materials, Vernon felt that “Being Bon Iver meant playing a part … frequently pressing on a metaphorical bruise.” While we, as listeners, found an outlet for our sorrow in Bon Iver, Vernon found a prison—a trope he had to relive with every studio session.
SABLE unpacks and unravels the heavy burden of being Bon Iver. It is simple yet poignant, with raw honesty woven into every lyric, acknowledging how Vernon has chosen to sit in his pain rather than confront it. The opener, “THINGS BEHIND THINGS BEHIND THINGS,” captures the complexity of this confrontation.
“I am afraid of changing / And when it comes a time to check and rearrange shit / There are things behind things behind things,” Vernon sings.
“AWARDS SEASON” serves as a conclusion to this unburdening. It is a standout track, sonically communicating Vernon’s emotional release. The song builds slowly, with each verse introducing a new instrument over a quiet, one-toned synth—a piano, rhythmic guitar, harmonies, and finally, a saxophone solo. As the song fades back into the singular synth after a symphony of sound, Vernon seems to find acceptance.
“It’s so hard to explain / and the facts are strange / But you know what will stay? / Everything we’ve made,” Vernon sings.
Disc 2 of the album, fABLE, expands on this acceptance. It moves us out of SABLE’s quiet darkness, toward warm, vibrant melodies characterized by experimental production and inspired creativity. It spans a wide range of genres—songs like “Everything Is Peaceful Love” are reminiscent of an R&B album, while “There’s A Rhythm” delves deep into soulful pop.
In fABLE, Vernon is stepping away from solitude and opening himself up to a new era of love and clarity. The falsetto-forward track, “Walk Home,” reflects this shift. Instead of wallowing in introspection, he gives way to infatuation, vulnerability, and connection.
“And we can shed your earthly burdens / Of this I am certain / You was made for me,” sings Vernon.
SABLE, fABLE does not deviate from the well-loved, indie-pop-folk blend Bon Iver has coined over the past decades, but rather elevates it. Vernon’s love for music—for lyricism, production, and the therapeutic process of creation—is evident throughout this album. In the six years since Bon Iver’s last release, it is clear that Vernon has taken time for himself: to reflect, reset, and rediscover the joy in music again. And as listeners, we are grateful to be invited back in.
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