Nearly six years since his previous album “I,I” dropped, Bon Iver released his fifth studio album on April 11. Fans adore Iver for his falsetto vocals that blend gorgeously with his indie-folk style. His audience waited in anticipation to see if his new music would reach the appraisal of his old, and undoubtedly, “SABLE, fABLE” exceeded expectations with its harmonious, reflective songs.
The 13-track album, spanning a running time of 42 minutes, features two discs. The first is “SABLE,” which was released late last year and exudes raw emotion and sadness. Iver completed the album with disc one’s opposite, featuring unburdening and pure joy, on disc two: “fABLE.” It was the first time I had ever seen an album organized this way, and I loved it. I believe revealing the album in pieces displays his brilliance because it highlights the timeline of a grieving process, and it symbolizes how a person’s feelings can shift over time. His music came across as very authentic and healing, all very natural.
The album commences with 25 seconds of a ringing sound, similar to a fire alarm. It immediately caught my attention, and while at first I was very confused why Iver chose to put that on his album, I believe now it aligns well with themes throughout the album. It causes one to pay close listen to his introspective lyrics because the sound evokes a lot of contemplation about what inspires him. The entirety of ‘Sable’ is extremely raw. For example, one of the songs, “Award Season,” is a love story with a sad message on loss. He discusses how even after a relationship ends, the impact of that person remains. The soft, quiet background music of horns matches his lyrics amazingly by enhancing the emotional weight of his voice. After the songs on ‘Sable,’ Iver’s music drastically transforms listeners from darkness to lightness.
There are two songs with collabs on “SABLE, fABLE.” One of them, “If Only I Could Wait,” features Danielle Haim. The song creates an almost dreamlike background music by layering many different sounds: horns, strings and electric beats. While I really enjoy the backing harmony, the lyrics didn’t stick out to me and I don’t think their voices blended well together, so I was not a huge fan of the song. The other song involving a collab is “Day One,” featuring Dijon & Flock of Dimes. Immediately, I loved the slide guitar and cool, vibrant electronics. “Day One” is focused on wondering how people understand who they are. Singing, “Been a long while now coming up, Thought we past it, thought we’d patched it up,” shows how people become themselves due to experiences and overcoming struggles. Iver is able to really romanticize this whole idea, creating a lasting, positive and gorgeous message.
“SABLE, fABLE” is Iver’s happiest album. Disc Two begins with a lovely song called “Short Story,” which perfectly encapsulates what Disc Two is about. He sings, “Oh the vibrance! Sun in my eyes, it gets brighter.” It is very positive and feels very personal and spiritual to me. Along with his heavenly vocals, the best I think his voice has ever sounded, the melodic sounds of strings and other key musical elements complement him so well. I’d also like to add that the transition between “Short Story” and the following song, “Everything Is Peaceful Love” is incredibly seamless, creating a great sense of calm and cohesion. The effortless flow between songs reminded me of Billie Eilish’s album “Hit Me Hard and Soft.”
My favorite song on the album, hands down, is “Everything Is Peaceful Love.” That song sums-up what Disc 2 on “SABLE, fABLE” is about. Lots of gratitude and overflowing with pure joy. Iver wants to convey that with him right now, love occupies his every thought. He sings, “And every little thing is love, And right with me.” Even if you aren’t a huge Bon Iver fan, with a strong, catchy beat and Iver’s captivating singing, I wouldn’t be surprised if you found yourself replaying this song many times.
Overall, I like this sound from Bon Iver. “SABLE fABLE” is a well-crafted album that is undoubtedly worth a listen-through. I admire how his lyrics express deep appreciation for love in its simplest forms, and I’m excited to see if he remains in his “fun era” for a while longer. There are many songs on this album I can see myself listening to again, and a few that got lost in a monotonous sound and message. I’d recommend this piece of work to anyone who appreciates pretty voices and intricate instrumentation.
“SABLE fABLE:” ★★★★☆
