Bon Iver had such a fantastic year in 2008, it’s easy to see why the
band decided to follow up its critically lauded and fan-adored debut
with a quick EP. Short formats are essentially snacks, made of morsels
that don’t need to create a whole. But it also takes the pressure off
fan expectations and incessant “what next” queries, which is how
Blood Bank works. The wonderful (albeit slightly ordinary) title
track has touches of a moodier Springsteen. It’s a great song, but
can’t touch either “Beach Baby” (which has the sweetness) or “Babys”
(with its Reich-like piano motif), both of which embrace the
inventiveness and the melancholia we’ve come to adore. Dave Hayden
This article appears in Feb 12-18, 2009.