Wednesday, May 29, 2013

The Magic Touch

Sometimes people just have it. Success follows them in whatever they do and whoever they do it with. The music world is not an exception. Recently, Jack White has been a prime example of this. He had been in bands like The White Stripes, The Raconteurs, and The Dead Weather. His solo album went over well, he opened Third Man Records in Nashville, and as a producer, has brought some musicians to life like Loretta Lynn.

But today I want to spotlight a musician, that over the last five years, has made his genius known in many ways. That is Justin Vernon. You may have first heard of this man as the falsetto chill guy that walked out of the Wisconsin woods with one of the best albums of 2008. With his second Bon Iver album, Vernon reinvented himself as this orchestra man, playing with countless instruments and bandmates. His name is Justin. Not Bon Iver.

Vernon had a fan in Kanye West. He appeared on multiple tracks on My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy with the Bon Iver song "Woods" being used as the base for "West's "Lost in the World." Soon enough, Vernon was on stage with Kanye at Coachella.

Vernon also put on his producer hat and helped with his then girlfriend Kathleen Edward's best album yet.

Vernon, you know, because he can, formed The Shouting Matches, a blues project that is old fashioned and powerful. "Grownass Man" is a record you need so you know Vernon isn't just some woodsy guitar hipster.

And while you are at, how about another Vernon band? Volcano Choir who released their first album in 2009 and will release album number this year is a more experimental pop group that Vernon give the lead vocals.

That's not even everything. Just the highlights. Justin Vernon is a Renaissance man and it shows every time he releases music.

While you sleep at night, Justin Vernon thinks of 20 new songs. When you are bored, Justin Vernon invents another band. Crawl back in your hole now.

Bon Iver
The Shouting Matches
Kathleen Edwards

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