Bon Iver - Sable, Fable Vinyl LP

Bon Iver’s three-song collection SABLE was a prologue steeped in darkness, a controlled burn clearing the way for new possibilities. fABLE is the book that follows. Where SABLE was a work of solitude, fABLE is an outstretched hand. Radiant, ornate pop arrangements shine around Vernon's voice, reflecting a new and beautiful era.

On every song, his gaze is fixed on one specific person. It’s love, and with it comes intense clarity, focus, and honesty. fABLE portrays a man flooded and overwhelmed by a first meeting (“Everything Is Peaceful Love”), a tableau defined by desire and intimacy (“Walk Home”), and someone filled with light and purpose, envisioning a future of shared memories, a partner, and perhaps a family.

Infatuation carries a healing quality, like sunlight pouring through a suddenly opened door. Yet, the shadow of SABLE lingers: even in brighter times, the past resurfaces. A fable isn’t a fairy tale. There is joy—unbridled excitement, trips to Spain—but fables aren’t defined by happy endings; they exist to teach a lesson.

As the album closes, Vernon acknowledges the patience and work required to entwine oneself with another. The songs—and the album as a whole—serve as a pledge: he is ready to move at the rhythm that love demands.