Bon iver stopped by SNL last night to get the “Who is Bon Iver?” meme going again before he maybe wins Album of the Year at the Grammys next week. And yes, dude busted out Bon Iver closer, “Beth/Rest.” There was also a Lana Del Rey skit and it was actually pretty good. (Audio Perv)

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Hello and welcome to my year-end list. I started my Albums of the Year post about 9 blogmonths (2 weeks) ago and realized very quickly that the majority of my favorite music from this year wasn’t on there. For me, 2011 was a big year for songs. Albums, singles, EPs, mixtapes, remixes, remix albums, free [...]

Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon strips away the shocking Kenny G-tastic arrangements of Bon Iver closer, “Beth/Rest”, and replaces it with only a ‘real, unplugged piano’ for this NPR World Cafe performance. Both versions are wonderful for very different reasons. I look forward to hearing it either way at The Shrine in a few short weeks.
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My heart’s lobotomy; James Blake & Bon Iver’s “Fall Creek Boys Choir.”

Bon Iver’s beautiful “Holocene”, above. Something called the “Fall Creek Boys Choir” with James Blake is coming next Wednesday. Watch the Throne.

Last night, NPR streamed a live webcast of Bon Iver’s full show at Washington DC’s 9:30 Club. Sadly, it was at 6:30 PST (gr, time zones) and I wasn’t able to catch it. But NPR, being the best ever, is offering up the full hour and a half audio recording of the show for streaming [...]

Bon Iver brings more than a full band to The Colbert Report last night to perform “Calgary” from the new, excellent self-titled album (out today). They also performed a web exclusive of For Emma’s “Skinny Love” (which is “still pretty good”), showing here.

Or 1/2 2011, depending on if phrasing/math/logic is important to you. This list is somewhat in order, but it’s not really in order. Also, #1 is definitely in order. Some favorites missing here work better in album mode (or came out in 2010, e.g.: Smith Westerns), and will see you later on the Best Albums [...]

If you’ve spent the last week listening to the new Bon Iver on a loop, or like your music videos to be symbolic and emotional, you should enjoy this. “Calgary” official video, above. MP3, still free. Bon Iver’s loop-worthy, self-titled sophomore is due June 21.

Bon Iver’s sophomore album, though leaked several weeks ago (not that I would know anything about that), is now up for official, approved listening via NPR. The record is easily among the year’s best (man, best), with lead-off track, “Perth”, serving as Vernon and Co.’s most instantly impactful track to date. Bon Iver is due [...]