With its beautiful lyricism and expertly composed songs, Bon Iver’s “SABLE, fABLE” reflects their discography of 17 years, connecting the acoustic falsetto of 2008’s “For Emma, Forever Ago” to the auto-tuned synths of 2019’s “i,i” through similar styles and themes.
Bon Iver, an American alternative rock band led by singer and producer Justin Vernon, originally released the album as an EP “SABLE” on Oct. 18, 2024. It opens with 12 seconds of static, and then explores themes of loss and regret through three extremely heartfelt songs. On April 11, 2025, Bon Iver put out the entire 13-track album lasting around 42 minutes. It combines “SABLE” with the energetic, upbeat “fABLE,” which explores themes of love and renewal.
Bon Iver’s fifth studio album does not disappoint. Although “SABLE” lasts only 12 minutes, every lyric in each song could take an hour to dissect. The opening track, “THINGS BEHIND THINGS BEHIND THINGS,” opens with the lyric “I would like the feeling/I would like the feeling/I would like the feeling gone.” This specifically represents wanting to escape a difficult, uncomfortable situation, and this feeling is further explored through the refrain, where Vernon sings “I see things, behind things, behind things/And there are rings, within rings, within rings” portraying his life as a cycle of never-ending obstacles.
“S P E Y S I D E” and “AWARDS SEASON” continue this emotional, lyrical journey. “S P E Y S I D E” stands to be one of my favorites on the album, due to its simplistic acoustic guitar and violin, accompanied by Vernon’s beautiful, light upper register. Part of what makes this album so great is its relatability for the audience. This is especially displayed by the lyric: “As I fill my book/Oh, what a waste of wood/Nothing’s really happened like I thought it would.” One can relate to the feelings of helplessness and the act of wasting time, which Vernon is effectively portraying.
“AWARDS SEASON” is arguably the most emotionally packed song on the entire album, presented in more of a poetic and sung-spoken way. The instrumentation builds up as the song goes, contributing to the feelings that this song evokes. The lyric “But I’m a sable/And honey, us the fable” bridges the two musical works together into one beautiful, coherent album. The song ends with around 40 seconds of silence, drawing a similarity to the end of Bon Iver’s “For Emma, Forever Ago,” which ends in around the same amount of silence, indicating a new beginning.
The next part of the album steps away from the acoustic sound and more towards modern synths and more hopeful compositions. “Short Story,” the first song on “fABLE,” instantly establishes the tone of the next eight songs with its bright sound. Opening with the lyrics “Oh the vibrance/Sun in my eyes (it gets brighter),” it sets the mood for entering a new season, or a fresh start. It stays in the same key as “AWARDS SEASON,” still connecting the works. It ties seamlessly into the most upbeat and fun song of the album, “Everything is Peaceful Love,” where Vernon sings with a brighter tone while singing about the happiness that love has brought him.
The two best songs on this part of the album are “From” and “If Only I Could Wait,” which features Danielle Haim. In “From,” Vernon sings about a love that he is ready to rekindle, while an energetic drum pattern and electric guitar play in the background. “If Only I Could Wait” is an emotional love ballad, where two lovers sing about how hard it is to hold on to each other. When Haim and Vernon start harmonizing to the pleading lyrics of the last chorus, the song makes you want to drown everything out and get lost in the music of Bon Iver.
“SABLE, fABLE” is a celebration of all of Bon Iver’s works. Featuring seamless transitions, consistent themes and beautiful connections, this is the most put together and coherent album that the band has released so far.
