While some may sneer at the glitches and production tricks that pepper the record, thinking them mere gimmicks, those who stick around long enough will be rewarded by a string of mature, thoughtful songs emerging from their concealment, gradually revealing a little more of themselves with each play.
When it hits, as on the wistful Fionn Regan sample on the closing 00000 Million or the breathtaking piano introduction to 33 “GOD” you know that this strange, beautiful, willfully obtuse album is one that you’ll want to live with for a very long time.
Where “Skinny Love” was instantly hummable, “____45_____” refuses to settle into any kind of pattern, jumping between tuneless woodwinds and haphazard vocals. It’s a jarring and unexpected move, but all of it’s layered complexity at least turns heads and demands further attention.
22, A Million occasionally confronts and challenges with its willful weirdness, but Bon Iver can still locate that lonely cabin, if only in spirit, when Vernon really wants to dig deep.
Bon Iver is moving on, but to where exactly? Even Justin Vernon doesn't appear to know, which may be why this transitional album sounds so muddled and the songs so elusive.
A true Bon Iver album. Lives up to the expectation. Justin Vernon proves again that he is a brilliant artist. Great variety and originalA true Bon Iver album. Lives up to the expectation. Justin Vernon proves again that he is a brilliant artist. Great variety and original sounds throughout the album. Collapse…Expand
Truly an achievement. Could not bring myself to give this anything lower than a 10.
There's such a demanding beauty shooting through thisTruly an achievement. Could not bring myself to give this anything lower than a 10.
There's such a demanding beauty shooting through this entire record, whether it's the lo-fi/overproduced ambience or the stacked harmonies found in each track. Justin emotions are as up front as ever; sharp, and painfully honest. His struggles with spiritual beliefs, the direction of the band and efforts of soul searching all somehow come across through the ambiguous lyricism we've come to know, more so than any of his previous work. For Emma puritans will probably be up in arms, which is a real shame, because they're missing the most sonically intriguing record of the decade. I've never enjoyed listening to music as much as I did listening to this.
I was hesitant to compare this to Kid A, and as much as I now agree, at the same time, this release as a whole is just it's own entire entity. I don't think anything else is going to sound like this.
Hope this helps!…Expand
This album is a masterpiece. It is the year's best album and Bon Iver's best album. The tracklist for the album is very strange andThis album is a masterpiece. It is the year's best album and Bon Iver's best album. The tracklist for the album is very strange and interesting. This album has overall, great song lyrics, vocals, and instrumentals. The way the album is produced is outstanding. This album does sound different from the previous album. It's a better and more beautiful album than the groups' previous.…Expand
With more electronic and experimental sides, Bon Iver still delivered a very solid record. Underneath it all, it's still the same feeling thatWith more electronic and experimental sides, Bon Iver still delivered a very solid record. Underneath it all, it's still the same feeling that was conveyed in both For Emma and BI, BI. Justin Vernon has truly reinvented his music and it's a triumph.…Expand
The third effort from Bon Iver hits right where and how it should. It is an outstanding record, in every sense the word "outstanding" has. TheThe third effort from Bon Iver hits right where and how it should. It is an outstanding record, in every sense the word "outstanding" has. The change of sound is very fresh, adding some electronica, all while preserving the folksy roots in place. The album is dark and enlighting at the same time. The theme is awesome. The numerical pattern the song-titles have is a genius idea. The lyrics are as poetic as Bon Iver lyrics ever got. Each time I spin it again, I see and understand a new thing about the songs. The whole thing is just very-well crafted and executed. I guess Justin Vernon can do no wrong, can he?…Expand
Album number 3 from Bon Iver is a curveball. Strangely, despite a seismic shift in direction, Vernon's trademark style is so unique that it isAlbum number 3 from Bon Iver is a curveball. Strangely, despite a seismic shift in direction, Vernon's trademark style is so unique that it is unmistakably a Bon Iver record. The song titles are hard to decipher mixtures of words, special characters and numbers and the music is similarly inaccessible. "22, A Million" is as far removed from the traditional songwriting of debut "For Emma, Forver Ago" as you can get. Each track is an idea in its own right and most come in somewhere between 2 and half and 3 and a half minutes meaning that the ideas never get boring but equally they rarely get a chance to breath and develop. Even on tracks like "33 God", which have the more traditional Bon Iver sound, you have layers of complexity going on in the background. The biggest change is the introduction of samples and electronic beats. "22, A Million" while strange in parts is a rewarding listen that grows on the listener with time and repeated visits. Like previous Bon Iver albums, you have a gorgeous soundscape underpinning the whole album and the individual tracks fit into this environment perfectly to give a satisfying listening experience. Bon Iver's "Kid A".…Expand
To me it is incomprehensible how a musical act can go from Masterpiece to Mutilated garbage in 4 short years, there is nothing even remotelyTo me it is incomprehensible how a musical act can go from Masterpiece to Mutilated garbage in 4 short years, there is nothing even remotely similar to Bon Ivers previous music on this album. This is truly bad, I struggle to believe that anybody truly liked this, despite positive reviews.
Im utterly shocked how Bon Iver could blurt out something like this after creating 1 utterly beautiful album and followed that up with another great album, only to completely shatter the perfect illusion like this. One of the biggest dissapointments in music I have ever experienced. I made an account here just to write this.…Expand
