When making your debut album almost kills you

The journey Vernon took in making For Emma, Forever Ago has become something of an indie-folk legend: he recorded the album at his father's hunting cabin after retreating there to escape adulthood and deal with his heartbreak and three months later, he emerged with an album’s worth of audio.

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0:00 Intro
0:52 Chapter One: Escape
2:30 Chapter Two: Embark
4:40 Chapter Three: Excavate
7:21 Chapter Four: Emergence
8:28 Conclusion

"Bon Iver's For Emma, Forever Ago is a critically acclaimed album that showcases the raw and emotional storytelling of Justin Vernon. The album, which was recorded in a remote cabin in Wisconsin, has a distinct folk sound that is both haunting and beautiful. With hit songs like "Skinny Love" and "Creature Fear," For Emma, Forever Ago has become a staple in the indie music scene. The album's themes of love, heartbreak, and self-discovery have resonated with listeners worldwide and solidified Bon Iver's place in the music industry. With its powerful lyrics and emotive instrumentals, For Emma, Forever Ago is a must-listen for fans of indie, folk, and alternative music."

#middle8 #BonIver #videoessay
Bon Iver: When making your debut album almost kills you
When making your debut record almost kills you
When you make a groundbreaking record in the woods

[_suj]

A truly beautiful album. Every listen feels brand new and every time a tear is brought to my eye. "Everyone has their own Emma", how true. Thank you Justin for Emma, and thank you Middle8 for doing it justice. More people deserve this album

[michelesalluce]

This will forever be his masterpiece. Really hard to find other albums with the same thirst, the same search for what's distinctively your innermost feeling. He came very close to revealing his inner world, which is impossible given the human condition. Yet he got very close here.

[loscrows]

This album feels like a memory I don't want to remember but a feeling that's always there. Beautiful album.

[giovannivenditti]

Thanks to Re:Stacks and Bon Iver MySpace back then in 2008 I met online a german girl that was living far far away and we wrote for several months, before meeting for the first time in Rome. We are married now and have one wonderful little princess. On our first rings in the inside we made someone engrave Re:Stacks. Enough said.

[MobbareKurtz]

The analogy in Re:stacks of the black crow as his depression that is dangling the keys to happiness gets me every time.

[hankfrance]

Would love even more folk discussions (especially Fleet Foxes or Sufjan). This channel never disappoints.

[hindsy]

It’s crazy how deep his speaking voice is

[gabewoundedhead]

This album may have, emotionally, cost him a lot, but his music has been there for me in my darkest moments. I’m forever grateful for his work

[kathleenvaughan]

To be completely alone is to discover yourself. Most people can’t handle it.

[jacktaylor]

Named my daughter after this album. It will forever hold a special place in my heart and I hope it does in hers too.

[MarcosdArc]

i hold firm to my conviction that this is the greatest expression of emotion in the form of an album

[KittysMisadventures]

Bon Iver, Damien Rice and Ray Lamontagne bring out emotions in a level like nobody else could for me. If I’m feeling pensive I turn to them.

[sim]

For me his best work has to be his self titled. It's just so gorgeous, mature and personal

[melissajbol]

I was in college when this album came out and I obsessively listened to it on repeat in my 3 hour drawing labs for a major I didn't even like. I was so depressed and creatively confused. This album allowed me to realize that the point of art is to be soulful, personal, and intuitive. Bon Iver showed me what it means to live in the present with all the darkness and to not be ashamed of being defeated by life. He helped me through not feeling alone and I owe him so much for that.

[funLF]

it’s wild to think. there are so many people with music they made on their computers that are probably masterpieces that no one will ever hear!

[carlitapita]

As sad and melancholy as this record is, it really does capture that feeling of home and like sitting beside a fire on a cold day. Growing up in northwestern Wisconsin very close to where Justin did and where the album was recorded, this record and his entire discography, really, makes me appreciate where I’m from.

[jevinday]

I remember when Beyonce and Jay Z had their baby they did a skit on SNL where people went to visit the baby. Bon Iver was nominated for a Grammy for Bon Iver, Bon Iver and the public was fascinated with him because of how unique he is. Justin Timberlake plays Justin Vernon and comes to visit them and the baby. He is going to play the baby a song and says something like "I fashioned this guitar out of a canoe when I was stranded in the forest in Wisconsin". It was hilarious. I got to see Bon Iver in Tucson AZ in 2012, one of the most amazing concerts I've ever been to.

[paulcargill]

No idea how you got this down to 10 minutes. You could do 2 hours on this album. It’s a masterpiece.

[noahfelty]

it’s incredible to me the way justin vernon and bon iver as a whole resonates on such a deep level. every second of music is touched by so much raw emotion and that inspiring quality hasn’t faded even when their sound drastically changed. to me bon iver represents what music and art is all about. creating beautiful things amidst the chaos. finding connection and rest in this enigmatic life

[vitaletonga-haumono]

Bon Iver’s music, especially Justin’s creativity never disappoints. The folkiness of For Emma, Forever Ago to the electronic elements in i, i. This king never fails to deliver such ethereal music. I can’t wait to see him live soon