SABLE,

Bon Iver fans, you might wanna sit down for this one. In a lot of ways, SABLE feels like a callback to the heavy introspection of For Emma, Forever Ago. Justin Vernon’s still in his feels, working through his self-sabotage with this weird mix of sadness and hope. He’s clearly not fully healed yet, but it doesn’t hit quite as hard as the deep, hollow loneliness of his debut. SABLE is scared of change, but it’s also cracking the door open for some growth—whether that’s in the music itself or just on a personal level.

4 years ago, I barely cared about music. I was the definition of a casual listener, couldn’t play an instrument to save my life, and honestly hated music class. Then I stumbled on Bon Iver, Bon Iver and For Emma, Forever Ago, and suddenly, it all clicked. Justin Vernon woke something up in me, and now I’m spending way too much time obsessing over albums, talking music non-stop, and messing around with my own songs. Music is my whole world now—I'm basically addicted, and it keeps me sane in this wild ride of life. All of that can be traced back to one guy’s falsetto coming out of a random youtube video I stumbled on.

But honestly? This doesn’t feel like the same band I fell in love with. Okay, maybe that’s a bit dramatic—every artist evolves—but since 22, A Million, Bon Iver hasn’t been the same. i,i had some flashes of their old magic with tracks like “Faith” and “Sh'Diah,” but they never quite hit the same. Justin’s work with Taylor Swift was a highlight, but aside from that, things have felt kinda stuck, a little tired, missing that spark of wild creativity. SABLE, unfortunately, keeps that trend going.

The best thing about this EP, unsurprisingly, is the production. Bon Iver never misses there. They’ve got their own legendary studio, April Base, and over the years, they’ve become top-tier producers. The sound here is lush, crisp, and incredibly detailed, especially on the first full track. It’s honestly a joy to listen to, but—and this is where things get tricky—maybe that’s part of the problem. For Emma hit so hard because of its raw, rough-around-the-edges sound. It felt personal, grounded. But with SABLE, everything’s so pristine and calculated that it’s hard to feel any real connection. It’s almost too perfect to be intimate.

And then, we get to the actual songs. I hate to say it because I usually love Justin’s songwriting, but SABLE is kind of basic. The song structures are predictable and don’t really go anywhere exciting. Even the boldest track, “AWARD SEASON,” with that amazing sax solo, is built on pretty unremarkable foundations.

The lyrics didn’t do much for me either. I’ve had plenty of moments wailing along to Justin’s poetry in the past, but here? It’s pretty average, and sometimes, it’s even a bit off. It’s almost like it’s been too long since he wrote something that really hits home, so maybe I should’ve seen this coming.

Lastly, I gotta mention that Justin doesn’t sound as into it anymore. Sure, there are flashes of the old fire, like his falsetto on “S P E Y S I D E,” but for the most part, he sounds tired, like he’s unsure where to take Bon Iver next.

That said, even on an off day, Bon Iver is still miles ahead of most artists out there. I know I’m being harsh, but that’s just because I care so much about this band. SABLE isn’t bad at all—it’s just kinda... there. It feels like they’re going through the motions without pushing themselves the way they used to. I can respect that to a degree, but after five years, I was hoping for something more. The thought of waiting another five years for something like this? Yeah, that’s a bit of a bummer.

BON IVER - SABLE,

RATING - 7.9/10

FAVORITE TRACKS - S P E Y S I D E, AWARD SEASON

GENRE - Alt, Indie, Folk, Jazz