Vernon buried the laptop in the snow, later remarking, "They were taken from me but it was good that they were, as it really gave me a new face.

An appearance at the CMJ Music Marathon in New York increased Vernon's popularity among music blogs such as Stereogum, [32] and he began to see offers to release the album from record labels.

While at the cabin, Vernon had written to Kelly Crisp of The Rosebuds, concluding his letter with "bon iver," a misspelling of "bon hiver," which is French for "good winter. This debut is centered around a particular aesthetic; Justin Vernon, the primary force behind Bon Iver, moved to a remote cabin in the woods of Northwestern Wisconsin at the onset of winter, alone for three months. DeYarmond Edison became his next musical project, as he graduated from college and relocated to Raleigh, North Carolina in August 2005.

Many of his bands had held similar members—some he had known since his adolescence—which amplified the pain of breaking apart. He studied music theory for a time, as well as jazz, [4] but ended up with a degree in religious studies. The label on side A had a dirt smudge or something, which I find hilarious because I bought is brand new and sealed 😆 the packaging is lackluster Tbf, but other than that, the vinyl is heavy and the sound is stunning.

He chose to sign with independent label Jagjaguwar in late October 2007 [11] because he liked the label's president, Chris Swanson, who had first opened communication in the summer, [33] and its Midwest roots.