Bon Iver greets the sunshine with open arms on SABLE, fABLE

Vibrance emanates from these songs like never before. Rob Moose’s string arrangements and Greg Leisz’s pedal steel are eager to uplift every listener on “Everything Is Peaceful Love”. Jim-E Stack’s meditative drums on “Walk Home” embody steady steps towards brighter days ahead. Some may say that to be blatantly in love is to entertain ignorance, but Justin Vernon determines to paddle along its coast blind. “You get sad enough / Because it’s all you seek,” he reasons on “Day One”. fABLE gleams with heart-shaped eyes and an airy, easy-going outfit, banking its sorrows on the trenches of the more introverted predecessor SABLE,. For once, his decades-long project Bon Iver greets the sunshine with open arms.

It’s understandable why SABLE, was teased first: for the sake of cohesiveness, and as the preparation for a daring change. On a brief glance, the EP sidles close to Vernon’s original roots – songs written at the winter cabin in Wisconsin, quiet but forceful. “Things Behind Things Behind Things” takes on a familiar wordplay of repetition and obscurity. “There’re rings within rings within rings,” he sings face-down, noting the complexity of all matters. What differs is the collaborativeness as he excelled on the self-titled or i,i, and the cleanest and starkest vocal stems he’s ever produced. On “Awards Season”, he shies away from self-harmony and sings bare like those celebrated soliloquies of the greatest plays. The effect is a solidarity that pierces through every long-term listener’s deepest aches.

On fABLE, however, every burden is an easy kill. “Just take my love in your time,” Vernon winks on the Smokie-style soft rock “From”. The absence of lyrical and musical quirks that capture silvery shards of emotion like on, say, “iMi” or “29 #Strafford APTS” is the daring change of Bon Iver’s new direction. It instead toys with sensuous melodic tones, then aims at universal jauntiness. For outsiders like us, the simplistic nature of SABLE, fABLE may be a risk considering the sacrifice of some of his acclaimed qualities. “I’ll Be There” and “If Only I Could Wait” are feel-good ear candy made from heavenly instruments such as horns, organ, saxophone. No shocking structural shifts nor lyrics that haunt – only voices of pure bliss and unbound love. For Vernon, such sacrifice could just be liberation.

While geared towards granting a pleasant listen throughout, fABLE can suffer from shallow entries and uncharacteristically dated production, thus reducing its replay value. “Short Story” feels like a much-needed warm hug at the front door after returning from a long trek through hardships, but this blooming ecstasy wears off pretty quickly on second and later listens. Its languid pace turns into lethargy that leaves a bitter aftertaste. “Walk Home” and “Day One” have the same issue. Their musical influences are distinctly trackable, and some of the forthright lines, like “We can let the light come in” and “Hop on it’ll all be gone!”, recall slogans on positivity posters. SABLE, fABLE’s end goal arguably is to soothe – not to impress, experiment, or renovate.

If anything, “There’s a Rhythm” is the best song on fABLE in that love’s intensity has waned a little, allowing space for contemplation without forgoing besottedness quite yet. Vernon’s voice is weary but steady, and his attentive and patient synths carry him on like a dear friend. It’s the charm of sensibility – however light it may appear – that could’ve exerted more presence here: not to leave love’s beguiling allure completely, but to navigate around it and display all of its hidden shades. SABLE, fABLE’s slog in the middle wouldn’t have been as hollow had that seeped into the central concept more. For now, the record shows signs that Bon Iver’s discography runs in duologies, much like Mitski’s. These rays of light might be a one-time occurrence – and it wouldn’t hurt to appreciate them while we can – or a setting piece for his next big thing.