Bon Iver’s ‘SABLE, fABLE’ is an emotional gut punch

Recommended tracks: “If Only I Could Wait” (feat. Danielle Haim), “AWARDS SEASON,” “Day One” (feat. Dijon and Flock of Dimes)
Artists you may like: Gregory Alan Isakov, Sufjan Stevens, Fleet Foxes

Six years after the release of their record i,i , Bon Iver is back with their highly anticipated fifth studio album, SABLE, fABLE. In all honesty, this may be the band’s most personal record yet.

Few artists have reshaped the sonic landscape of indie folk like Justin Vernon, the mind and voice behind Bon Iver. From the raw, cabin-born isolation of For Emma, Forever Ago to the glitchy, genre-bending experimentation of 22, A Million, Vernon has built a discography that is always chasing something just out of reach. With SABLE, fABLE, Bon Iver returns not with answers, but with further questions wrapped in layered textures, cryptic lyricism, and a continued willingness to tear apart his own mythology.

The record kicks off with a three-song prologue, starting with “…,” which is really just twelve seconds of high-pitched frequency almost like a palate cleanser before diving into the true opener, “THINGS BEHIND THINGS BEHIND THINGS.” It’s classic Bon Iver: layered, ethereal, and a strong way to set the tone. The next two tracks, “S P E Y S I D E” and “AWARDS SEASON,” lean into the indie folk roots that fans have always connected with, echoing the warmth and introspection that goes through their entire discography.

The record shifts into fABLE, diving into a frenetic, experimental side of Bon Iver we haven’t really seen before. “Short Story” acts as the bridge into this new sound, followed by “Everything Is Peaceful Love,” a soulful, 80s-inspired lo-fi track that was released as the first single. Vernon’s falsetto shines here, giving the song an emotional weight that pulls you in and leaves you wanting to hear what’s next.

The standout track for me has to be “If Only I Could Wait.” It features Danielle Haim, lead vocalist of the rock band HAIM, and the funky co-production created between Justin Vernon and Jim-E Stack. The track is nothing short of brilliant. Vernon described the song on Instagram as “a duet, a bilateral crying question, ‘How long can the two of us hang on to each other?’” You really feel that in verse three, where Vernon and Haim sing back and forth: “If only you could wait (I, I know that it’s hard) / Or is it folded either way now? (To keep holding) / The common leads away (Keep holding strong) / But is it only years away now? (Keep holding on) / I have come to learn replace (I, I know that it’s best) / And I resemble other traits of the Lord (To keep going) / I have rendered other fates (These memories hold) / And I’ve been prowling on the brakes now (These memories fade).”

Their vocals here are absolutely perfect: tender, raw, and emotionally locked in. It’s two people trying to hold on even though they know they’re slipping apart, and they capture that moment beautifully.

Another highlight for me is the album’s other collaboration, “Day One,” featuring Dijon and Flock of Dimes. Honestly, this track feels like it healed something inside me. It brings so much joy. You can feel the raw creativity Vernon poured into it, especially with that Jim-E-Stack influence. They even nod to Bon Iver’s debut single, “Skinny Love,” with the lyric: “I told you to be patient, I swore that I was wrong.”

The project ends with an instrumental titled “Au Revoir.” Sometimes, songs don’t need words to tell a story, and this is one of those moments. It’s a beautiful track that leaves you reflecting on the remarkable journey the album just took you on and that’s something I’ve always loved about Bon Iver’s music.

SABLE, fABLE is Bon Iver at their most vulnerable and most creative. It doesn’t try to explain itself, it just lets you sit in the feeling. This album hit me in a way I didn’t expect. It’s not just a return, but a reminder of why this band continues to mean so much to so many of us.

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