S. Carey Announces New EP – Hoyas

How S. Carey managed to create an EP throughout the Bon Iver whirlwind is difficult to grasp, but indeed he has. Hoyas is the follow-up to his debut full-length, All We Grow, and is out officially on May 8th. Carey continues his unique mix of classical and electronic throughout the four-track EP, which was created during a two-year span in his attic studio. Working together with fellow musician Ben Lester, who you may know from his work with A.A. Bondy, the two used a lap-top and little else when recording. Hoyas was mixed and produced by the Grammy-award winning duo of Justin Vernon and Brian Joseph of Bon Iver and mastered by Jeff Lipton at Peerless Studios in Boston.

“These songs are for nighttime driving, for long exposures of stars circling overhead, for laying roadside, feeling small, for the cold rocks at Big Falls, for Marfa, that weird and beautiful oasis. These songs are about the ambient sides of life.”

Perhaps you’ve already seen S. Carey and Justin Vernon in their recent 4AD and Jagjaguwar session, but do watch it again. It’s a great testimony to the musicianship and seemingly endless talent of both artists. Carey soars vocally in the session, just as he does on the new EP. View it HERE.

Justin & Justin: Watch Bon Iver’s Second Appearance on SNL

Last Saturday, Justin Vernon made his second appearance on Saturday Night Live. It all happened only two weeks after performing on the show for the very first time. On this occasion, he attended to play for new parents, Beyonce and Jay-Z, as well as their wee little baby, Blue Ivy Carter; this time, Justin Vernon was actually Justin Timberlake in a hilarious spoof. Playing a guitar he himself fashioned out of a canoe, Justin reworks the words to “Holocene” for a Bon Iver lullaby about muggles? Regardless, White Butler loved it enough for all of us. Watch above!

Justin Vernon and S. Carey in a Jagjaguwar and 4AD Session

Straying from the expected, Justin Vernon and S. Carey give us a breathtaking 4AD and Jagjaguwar session. We’ve been accustomed to seeing Bon Iver as a full, seven-plus member band as of late, but now we get the two in an incredibly intimate and up-close setting. Once a church, Air Studio’s Lyndurst Hall plays home to the session and it proves to be fitting in both atmosphere and aesthetics. Justin and Sean are on piano, facing each other for a five-song performance of choice songs that have led us to be endlessly captured and emotionally evoked. “Rather than layer the sound as on ‘Bon Iver, Bon Iver’, the focus is on paring back, in part evoking the minimalist approach of contemporary classical music, while remaining true enough to the source material to retain those elements characteristic of Bon Iver.” It’s a must see. Watch above.

Holy Cow! BON IVER WINS TWO GRAMMYS!

Ecstatic. Screams. Happiness. Champagne popping. Rolling on the ground. Falling out of chairs. Pure Bliss. Throw up your J. Smiles. Tears. Pride. All words to describe how we at Jagjaguwar felt and acted last night when it was announced Bon Iver were not one, but two-time Grammy winners. Taking home the award for Best New Artist and Best Alternative Music Album, Justin handled his winnings with grace and we are so incredibly proud of him and all the Bon Iver family. It’s been one hell of a year for the group and we’re only in February. Guess you could say we’re all excited for the future! CONGRATULATIONS BON IVER! Watch video of Justin backstage above!

VIDEO: Justin Vernon Jams Some “Perth” With The Roots on Fallon

Hey guys! Remember when Bon Iver was on Saturday Night Live last weekend? That was pretty awesome. You know what else is cool though? Justin Vernon performing with The Roots! While he was in New York a few weeks ago, the band asked Justin if he’d stop by for a jammed out version of “Perth.” Check out this stellar video of just that from Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. “Perth” is sounding extra sexy and smooth with Questlove in the mix. Bon Iver has a bunch of live dates coming up, including appearances at Coachella and Sasquatch. Check them out below! Read the rest of this entry »