MP3 of the Day: Live Bon Iver
With its feathery vocal delivery and skeletal instrumentation (that has a slow, gorgeous build, sounding like everything from firecrackers to foghorns) Bon Iver is the sleeper hit of 2008 that's been awakening new fans all summer. Frontman Justin Vernon's music is a complex mix of mourning and longing, and rarely do you hear an artist reach into that dark matter without coming out tarred in self-pity. But Vernon keeps things interesting, especially live, where slight shifts in arrangements put his songs in different emotional light. MySpace recently decided to give Bon Iver a boost: today the site is hosting live versions of "For Emma," "Flume," "Lump Sum," and "Blindsided," that are just stunning. Best of all, you can download the batch for free here, an offer I'd highly advise taking advantage of while it lasts. -- Jennifer Maerz
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