Full album stream: Bon Iver – Bon Iver

Bon Iver is a grand, chance-taking record: It sheds the raw nerviness of 2008’s perfect For Emma, Forever Ago and replaces it with arrangements so lush and vivid, it can be hard to make out much of what Vernon sings. Out June 21, the whole record dares to be dreamy, and to let Bon Iver’s ever-growing backing band paint pictures while Vernon’s words dissipate into the ether. Most of these 10 songs induce gasps at one point or another, for any number of reasons: from the forceful jolt of an orchestral boomlet, the delicate shhhhhinnnnng of finger cymbals, or an impeccable bit of vocal phrasing by Vernon, who can still make seemingly slight inflections hit like punches.

Bon Iver has also announced a sizable tour that will take him through the eastern U.S. and Europe, with no West Coast dates as yet. The last time Vernon and his band played San Diego, he came to UCSD’s tiny Ché Café, charged $7, and basically blew everyone’s mind. When he does play San Diego again, it’ll be nowhere near as intimate, but you can still count on O&B’s attendance.

Bon Iver on tour
07/22 – Milwaukee, WI – Riverside Theatre
07/23 – Milwaukee, WI – Riverside Theatre
07/24 – Chicago, IL – Chicago Theatre
07/25 – Indianapolis, IN – The Murat Theatre
07/27 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium
07/28 – Atlanta, GA – Cobb Energy Performing Arts
07/29 – Raleigh, NC – Raleigh Ampitheatre
07/30 – Richmond, VA – The National
08/01 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
08/02 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
08/03 – Upper Darby, PA – Tower Theatre
08/05 – Boston, MA – House of Blues
08/06 – Holyoke, MA – Mountain Park
08/08 – Toronto, ON – The Sound Academy
08/09 – New York, NY – The United Palace Theatre
08/10 – Brooklyn, NY – Celebrate Brooklyn!
10/19 – Manchester, UK – Apollo
10/22 – Edinburgh, UK – Usher Hall
10/23 – London, UK – Hammersmith Apollo
10/24 – London, UK – Hammersmith Apollo
11/09 – Birmingham, UK – o2 Academy
11/10 – Leeds, UK – o2 Academy
11/11 – Bristol, UK – Colston Hall