For some reason no one’s really talking about Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon’s new band, The Shouting Matches, probably because they sound absolutely nothing like Bon Iver - you might be a little shocked to hear Vernon shed his falsetto in favor of a lower, bluesy croon, while his bandmates Phil Cook and Brian Moen back him up on more minimalist instrumentals (ie. not horns or strings).
You’ll probably like it whether or not you’re a Bon Iver fan. Vernon’s pop songwriting smarts shine through – these are the kind of wide-sky, driving-alone blues-rock songs that are pretty much universally appealing. Check it out.