Bon Iver ft. Danielle Haim’s If Only I Could Wait: A Cross Between Yacht Rock, David Grey and a Tom Waits Robot

Bon Iver has gone the SZA route, although to a lesser extent, with his follow-up to the spellbinding EP SABLE being a full record entitled SABLE, fABLE. Much like SZA’s SOS followed by Lana, which is essentially SOS front loaded with a heap of new tracks. Similarly, Justin takes the SABLE EP and lumps it in with a bunch of new tracks to make a complete LP with SABLE, fABLE. I’m not sure if this is just some stuff that he wasn’t sure if he was going to release or if he wanted to get some stuff out, while still working on post for the new tracks on SABLE, fABLE…I’m not sure why this was not just released as one record. But I can’t complain. More Bon Iver is always a great thing.

Vernon has a history of excellent duets with his work with Taylor Swift on Exile being his standout. On If Only I Could Wait Vernon teams up with fellow Swiftie, Danielle Haim from the band Haim. Musically, the track goes over some eclectic ground. First off, it is far more electric and synth focussed than SABLE with these vast breezy landscapes that are a mix of yacht rock freedom and David Grey Please Forgive Me electro jam band pop. This mix makes for some epic verses and hooks as you are swept away with the tide. Now, this is Justin Vernon and Bon Iver, so this track wouldn’t be complete without some electro noise music. Every now and then there is a block of distortion or weird vocal buzzing to remind you that there is more going on under the surface. I find these interruptions not distracting, but good breaks to keep you on your toes.

Vocally, this track is up there with Exile with one of his best duets. Both Vernon and Haim bring their A-game with rousing and emotionally deep verses and hooks that transport you into the track. Moreover, their vocal timbres play well off of each other. Much like most of Vernon’s tracks, this is about love, the suffering of being away from love and longing for connection. Having said that, you are not crushed under the weight of those heavy themes, but lifted by the vocal. For me, the key to the track is after Vernon and Haim each have a verse and a hook, they come together with asynchronous verses dancing against each other at different times and meters that build to a rousing union. They are both magical on this track.

Bon Iver and Justin Vernon have really hit their stride on SABLE and SABLE, fABLE. It is a great mix of his early indie folk with his latter career electo synth experimentation. There is not too much of either style, but a perfect balance of the two which enhances the power of each. If Only I Could Wait is an example of an artist in his groove speaking his truth.

Listen to If Only I Could Wait