Good Winter - A music review on Bon Iver

Fluttering leaves from gnarly trees: check.
Shrieking neighbor kids on gray days: check.
Burning oak from billowing chimneys: check.

Yep, sure is that time of year again. And with the approach of the somber, bittersweet days of winter comes the quasi-religious devotion to my deities of folk. This means you Sufjan Stevens, Iron and Wine, Devendra Banhart, Fleet Foxes, Jose Gonzales, and Neko Case, to name a few. Yet, as the warmth of the sun slowly shifts to a different hemisphere, the warmth of the newly discovered voice of Justin Vernon fills my headphones, quickly sneaking his band, Bon Iver, into the ranks of my favorite folk musicians.
Bon Iver (pronounced Boney - vair) is loosely translated into "Good Winter" in French, perfectly reflecting the feel of Vernon's sobering falsetto vocals. If it is possible to contemplate life while tapping your toes, Bon Iver will inspire it.
Their album, "For Emma, Forever Ago" was written by Vernon during a reclusive stay in a cabin in Wisconsin. When asked why he chose Wisconsin, he stated "...I knew that I wanted to be where it was cold." The pain of an illness and a recent break-up with his girlfriend is apparent in his performance and lyrics, forcing us into a momentary depression of empathy. Yet I don't look at Bon Iver's music as a downer, as much as an emotional vacation, which, after all, is the real reason we all listen to music.
So as we head into the dark days of Autumn and Winter, let us bask in the gloom of some powerful folk, tip our hat to the solstice, and wish each other a "Bon Hiver."