Bon Iver, S P E Y S I D E | Song Review 🎵

Justin Vernon and Bon Iver shine on the minimal, apologetic “S P E Y S I D E,” the promo single from the collective’s 2024 EP, SABLE,.

“Iknow now that I can’t make good / How I wish I could.” Ah, the regret.  It’s easily perceptible on “S P E Y S I D E”. “S P E Y S I D E” is the promo single and third track from SABLE, – EP, an EP by Grammy-winning alternative collective Bon Iver (arrives October 18, 2024). Once more, Justin Vernon is doing Justin Vernon things in the three-and-a-half-minute cut. Vernon, Brandon Burton, and Ryan Olson penned “S P E Y S I D E.” Vernon and Jim-E Stack (James Stack) produced it.

To reiterate, Vernon is regretful to the nth degree.  “Nothing’s really something, now the whole thing’s soot,” he sings the first verse, acknowledging his mistake. Journaling, Justin sings in the second verse, “As I fill my book / What a waste of wood.” Why? Even with him reflecting on the wrongs he committed feels wrong.  In the third verse, contritely, he asserts, “I got the best of me / I really damn been on such a violent spree.” Oh, snap! Where does Speyside enter the mix? That would be the final verse: “But maybe you can still make a man from me / Here on Speyside quay.” In “S P E Y S I D E” the backdrop is modest. This is perfectly suited for an alternative folk cut.  Initially, Vernon is accompanied by an acoustic guitar. As the song progresses, strings (specifically viola) enter the mix, enhancing the color.  Even so, the focal point is Vernon’s beautiful, distinct, and vulnerable voice. His authenticity is as notable as his expressiveness and tone.  Best listen to rather than analyzed, “S P E Y S I D E” is a surefire winner from Bon Iver.

Bon Iver // SABLE, – EP // Jagjaguwar // 10.18.24

Bon Iver, S P E Y S I D E [📷: Brent Faulkner/The Musical Hype; Jagjaguwar; Clker-Free-Vector-Images, Królestwo Nauki, OpenClipart-Vectors, Pete Linforth, Tumisu from Pixabay]