Bon Iver
22, A Million

Justin Vernon, the creative mind behind Bon Iver, is an artist who doesn't like to offer certainties to his listeners. Therefore, for an occasional reviewer like me, providing a sensible interpretation of this album was more of a personal exercise than a genuine intent to make it accessible to anyone who might read these few lines. At a certain initial stage, I realized that I could have written it impulsively, without second thoughts, somewhat like how the work seems to have been conceived and produced, but only apparently so. Instead, I was forced to revisit the writing more than once to attempt to balance a geometry without measures and with few references.

My thesis is that even Justin Vernon struggled a lot in deciding the final form of his work and that he probably changed his standard multiple times; I wouldn't be surprised if, in the future, alternative versions of these compositions might emerge, perhaps more accessible to less patient listeners. The musician immediately lays his cards on the table, which in this specific case would be better called tarot cards; indeed, the first tracks already stimulate all the sensations that the entire album can give. From the comforting bucolic atmospheres and the acoustic guitar of 22(OVER S∞∞N) to the more disorienting ones: 10 d E A T h b R E a s T ⚄ ⚄ has a completely distorted vocal, thanks to a custom device created by his sound engineer, but it rests on a melody that, over time, ends up creeping into the mind. It's interesting to note that, as eccentric as they are, numerous covers of these songs can be found online, including a formidable one of 715 - CRΣΣKS performed by an all-male choir reminiscent of Gregorian chant.

The fourth track, 33 “GOD”, is the first lifeline thrown to us by the artist, and I recommend, at least for the first few listens, to rely on it and await it patiently, to avoid potentially abandoning the listening; the piano phrasing, although always in the background, is among the most beautiful Vernon has composed so far. It's undeniable then that his value as a composer has not diminished in any way, yet it is fair to question whether the attire he has chosen for his compositions is the one that best enhances them. Instinctively, I would say that only some tracks have a form that is hard to contest. I am referring, for example, to the beautiful 29 #Strafford APTS and 8 (circle), which not coincidentally are the pieces with a more traditional cut. Others, however, seem like unfinished pieces, comparable to Michelangelo's prisoners, through which the stature of the work, in this case, the melody, is perceived, but never fully expressed.

However, it is not the case to draw hasty conclusions. Put on a good pair of headphones, close your eyes, and start 8 (circle). The beauty of this track is worth purchasing the album and even the time spent trying to understand it. Even when this smooth, circular track will stop to make way for the bewildering ____45_____, don't give up; it will take months to understand why, and there it acts as a bridge to the last masterpiece: 00000 Million, for which, once again, it's worth listening to the splendid interpretation by a certain Ella Vos, search for it on YouTube.

22, A Million is a cathartic album because it clarifies its musical contents in relation to the predisposition of the listener. It is even a mystical work, for the mysterious use of numerology in the track titles and for the lyrics, consistently aiming at a transcendent interpretation of reality. Temporarily set aside Bon Iver, the singers of the physical places of the North American states, arm yourself with the best intentions, and enjoy this imaginative journey through numbers, sounds, and places of the mind.