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. Full list of Bon Iver tour dates is below…