Why Bon Iver?

I’m watching the Grammy nominee concert, and all the nominees are bands I recognize, have gotten plenty of radio play, and have been surrounded by buzz.

Except Bon Iver. Never heard of them. Never heard them on the radio. They don’t sound like something that would be at all popular or get radio play.

I can’t imagine them being critically acclaimed either. There’s a sort of pleasantness to the choir, but the lead has an annoying falsetto. It seems more like a relaxing ambient thing from the bargain bin you’d play while taking a bath.

How did they get nominated?

Not sure. They’re not my cuppa tea either. I’ve had many friends try desperately to get me to love Bon Iver.

I don’t enjoy it. Sorry.

And yet they are! But they don’t do much for me either.

Both his albums (it’s one person, not a band) have got glowing reviews. I like Flume off his first album, but the rest of it didn’t leave much of an impression on me. Maye I should give it another try.

I think it’s a little more complicated than that, but I think it’s probably more accurate to call it a band now. The founder and lead and the man who most consider “Bon Iver” is Justin Vernon. I don’t think he makes any effort to use Bon Iver as a pseudonym. Vernon himself has said, ““Bon Iver is often equated with just me, but you are who surrounds you.” The rest of the “band” is Sean Carey, Mike Noyce, and Matt McCaughan.

FTR, it’s pronounced [bahn-eve-air]. It’s supposed to resmeble the French phrase “bon hiver” literally meaning “good winter.”

The music falls in with the stuff coming from Andrew Bird, Arcade Fire, etc. Given Arcade Fire’s recent Grammy success, maybe there’s some sort of trend. One can only hope.

From what tickled the OP, I gather that Niki Minaj does have a “critical” acclaim?

Yeah, Bon Iver is HUGE in indie circles. Since indie isn’t really hidden anymore because of the internet and general public interest, it makes sense that they’d get a nomination. Whether something gets played on the radio these days doesn’t really have any bearing on their popularity.

Quasi-Choral Semi-Ambient Synth Pop is the next big thing, obviously. The debut album from Active Child has also had critical acclaim.

Love Bon Iver. And they get tons of critical aclaim. Google them.

I’m sure he is on my iPod somewhere as part of various indie compilation CDs I’ve downloaded over time. I can’t recall specific songs.

Thanks, I hadn’t realised that. IIRC, his first album was recorded in a log cabin somewhere, and he wrote all the songs and played all the instruments himself.

yep = Bon Iver has got the critical accclaim, but I find the music boring & a little pretentious. and I’m usually miss indie-folkie-rocker-outside the mainstream all the way. at least he’s not about getting laid on the dance floor with autotune.

PS - I guess I should be more loyal since Bon Iver is from Wisconsin, but still find it boring & a little pretentious.

Vernon is from Eau Claire, WI, where I currently live and went to college, so Bon Iver is a huge deal here apparently. He stops by and does shows at the school once in a while, which is cool I guess. I’ve never really gotten into his music all that much.
The hipsters seem to have a complicated relationship with him because he’s sort of one of them, but of course he made it big. So, not cool anymore or something. Man I can’t stand hipsters.

Wow, I especially didn’t expect them to get a 100% approval from an outfit called Absolute Punk.

I would put that in the “popular” category.

Paste magazine has his album as the best album of the year, so yeah he has some critical acclaim. What confused me is why he is up for “Best New Artist” when his debut album came out in 2008.

Hmm that’s how I’d describe Sigur Ros, who I like, but they have more memorable songs, and voices. I guess I’m stuck on the annoying falsetto and lack of hooks.

I am not enough of a hipster to agree with Paste Magazine (they chose Bon Iver’s album as album of the year). I like the idea of that mag, but I always get the feeling they would disapprove of me reading it. I’m just not cool enough, y’know?

I don’t really get that vibe from Paste. I definitely get it from Pitchfork.

He’s also featured more frequently in rap lately. Kanye West (who is also nominated for a bunch of Grammy’s), for instance, features Bon Iver on a few songs.