It took one song. Yes, "Flume, the first song on Bon Ivers debut album, For Emma, Forever Ago, was the one that made him run to a cabin in Wisconsin where even more gorgeous and fluttery indie-folk would be born. As lone member Justin Vernon recounts, "That track was actually recorded in North Carolina, like three days before, and that was the song that made me leave. I went straight up north to sort of hunker down for a few months.
Dont make the leap to think this was part of a greater plan.
"Words like decision and intention arent words that float in my head because I just went, Vernon explains. "I left North Carolina and went up there because I didnt know where else to go and I knew that I wanted to be alone and I knew that I wanted to be where it was cold.
This exile led to an intense period of experimentation, which explains why his debut is filled with unconventional song structures all accompanied by Vernons glorious falsetto voice. Its that combination that has people entranced because not only is it unique and exciting, it also has the feel of a subtle exorcism.
Though that may be too extreme a description for Vernon, there definitely was some soul-searching. "I didnt have anyone to answer to, I wasnt in a band, and I didnt even know I was making a record, he says. "I was just messing around, trying to do something new because Id sort of reached my wits end on a lot of levels, life-wise, right around that time. I was just scraping my subconscious trying to find some sort of flame in there and it really worked for me to uncover some of that stuff.
"Words like decision and intention arent words that float in my head because I just went, Vernon explains. "I left North Carolina and went up there because I didnt know where else to go and I knew that I wanted to be alone and I knew that I wanted to be where it was cold.
This exile led to an intense period of experimentation, which explains why his debut is filled with unconventional song structures all accompanied by Vernons glorious falsetto voice. Its that combination that has people entranced because not only is it unique and exciting, it also has the feel of a subtle exorcism.
Though that may be too extreme a description for Vernon, there definitely was some soul-searching. "I didnt have anyone to answer to, I wasnt in a band, and I didnt even know I was making a record, he says. "I was just messing around, trying to do something new because Id sort of reached my wits end on a lot of levels, life-wise, right around that time. I was just scraping my subconscious trying to find some sort of flame in there and it really worked for me to uncover some of that stuff.