Albums to watch

SABLE, fABLE

Bon Iver

SABLE, fABLE

Fifth album and first in six years from the American indie/folk band fronted by singer-songwriter Justin Vernon featuring contributions from Dijon, Flock of Dimes and Danielle Haim

ADM rating[?]

7.7

Label
Jagjaguwar
UK Release date
11/04/2025
US Release date
11/04/2025
  1. 10.0 |   The Arts Desk

    He has made a virtue of hesitation
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  2. 10.0 |   DIY

    Soulful, almost spiritual in its delivery
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  3. 9.0 |   Clash

    A record of rare beauty and hope that fits neatly into the catalogue of an outfit that has never failed to deliver something extraordinary
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  4. 9.0 |   Uncut

    Sable, Fable is an album that is felt as much as heard: the contraction of its opening tracks, the release of its love songs, the resolve of its closing numbers. Print edition only

  5. 9.0 |   musicOMH

    Marks a return to his fragile folk roots
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  6. 8.6 |   Northern Transmissions

    This is art as a game. SABLE, fABLE is the band’s most direct proof its music intends to transcend art, and sometimes, somehow, does
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  7. 8.1 |   Pitchfork

    On his fifth album, Justin Vernon moves out of the shadows and into an unabashedly joyful mindset and soundscape. His music remains as compelling as ever
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  8. 8.0 |   Exclaim

    SABLE, fABLE won't just make your head bob — it'll also make you excited for Bon Iver's next inevitable curveball
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  9. 8.0 |   NME

    Fans feared this could be Justin Vernon's big farewell, but instead his embrace of sunnier climes feels like a new chapter
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  10. 8.0 |   Rolling Stone

    Justin Vernon's first album in six years, SABLE, fABLE, finds the melancholic indie stalwart at his most hopeful and open
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  11. 8.0 |   The Skinny

    The latest album from the shapeshifting Bon Iver revels in its sense of joy and collaboration
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  12. 8.0 |   The Irish Times

    Justin Vernon is incapable of making a ‘happy’ record. The upbeat moments here are inevitably followed by deep longueurs. But the abiding feeling is one of peace
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  13. 8.0 |   The Independent

    Justin Vernon’s version of ‘radiant pop music’ is to brighten his earthy, acoustic landscapes with synths and drum pads
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  14. 8.0 |   The Observer

    NEW This companion album to last year’s Sable EP gives those sorrowful songs a soulful lift, with Vernon’s beautiful falsetto vocals to the fore
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  15. 7.0 |   The Line Of Best Fit

    While geared towards granting a pleasant listen throughout, fABLE can suffer from shallow entries and uncharacteristically dated production
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  16. 6.0 |   Far Out

    Although not always clear in what it’s setting out to achieve, Sable, Fable is perfectly punctuated by these stronger tracks, providing for a generally pleasant listen that offers a moment of blissful respite amid life’s unrelenting chaos
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  17. 6.0 |   Dork

    In a world of uncertainty and chaos in 2025, there is absolutely nothing wrong with just being nice
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  18. 5.0 |   All Music

    Too much of this record sounds like it could have been made by almost anyone and that's not good, and neither in the end is SABLE, fABLE
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  19. 4.0 |   The FT

    NEW The band’s fifth release harks back to their acclaimed 2008 debut For Emma, Forever Ago
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