22, A Million Is One In A Million

Barbara Lopez, Entertainment Editor

Wisconsin based band Bon Iver has been around since the early 2000s, with an impressive resumé of 2 Grammies for “Best New Artist” and “Best Alternative Music Album.” Last week on September 30th, they released their newest album 22, A Million.

This is the band’s third full-length studio album, and according to Keith Caulfield from Billboard, “[it’s] heading for the No.1 album on the Billboard 200 chart,” something they have never accomplished before.

West High students have already started to gain a feel for the country and electronic ambience the album eludes to. Kevin Kim (11) says, “it’s very distorted and unique. The song 22 (OVER S∞∞N) reminds me of listening to choir in elementary school.”

The acclaim doesn’t just stop there: according to projections, the record should sell about 49,000-53,000 pure U.S. copies within its first week of sales!

The feeling of glory and success, however, isn’t new for this band; Their debut 2007 album For Emma, Forever Ago sold 500,000 units becoming a “gold certification” and their frontrunner Justin Vernon is seen as a masterful artist in the world of indie music & culture.

The album has also been compared to Frank Ocean’s highly-anticipated Blonde. Both albums open in distortion: In 22 (OVER S∞∞N) we hear Vernon’s voice at completely different pitch, as we hear Ocean’s voice throughout his introduction track Nikes.

To add on, Emiline Verderber (10) also comments on two of the tracks: “I like all the layers in 22 (OVER S∞∞N) and 715 – CRΣΣKS relaxes me because of its harmonies.”

Whether it’s to take a nap to its soothing sounds or play as background music during homework, we’re glad to hear Bon Iver’s new album, hitting us yet again with another raw and distinct record.