Sable, Fable

Sable, Fable (stylized as SABLE, fABLE) is the fifth studio album by American indie folk band Bon Iver, released on April 11, 2025, via Jagjaguwar. The album is a continuation of the Sable EP (2024), which is included as a separate disc on vinyl. Marking the band's first album in nearly six years since I, I (2019), it features guest appearances from Dijon, Flock of Dimes, and Danielle Haim, with additional contributions from Kacy Hill, Jacob Collier and Mk.gee, among others.

Produced by Justin Vernon and Jim-E Stack, it is musically split between Bon Iver's predominantly folk-leaning output showcased on Sable and the contemporary R&B, pop and soul-leaning Fable. Its lyrics primarily concern newfound love. The album received widespread critical acclaim upon release, with critics noting its brighter soundscapes and Vernon's more straightforward approach to songwriting.

Background and recording

[Sable] is the darkest black on Earth… and it rhymes with 'fable'. I think it was a look back at this kind of man-in-a-cabin narrative I've been absorbing over these years, accepting it in a way. But the rest of the record is sort of me doing whatever I needed to do to be happy, for once.

Justin Vernon co-produced the album with Jim-E Stack, who had previously worked with Bon Iver on the 2020 non-album singles, "PDLIF" and "AUATC".

The album was primarily recorded at Vernon's April Base studio in Wisconsin after it had been inactive for years as it underwent renovation. The "conceptual genesis" for the album was on February 22, 2022, when Stack arrived at the studio with Danielle Haim, whose vocals are featured on "I'll Be There" and "If Only I Could Wait". The album's announcement billed it as "Bon Iver's next chapter: the epilogue" and described it as a "love story set to lush, radiant pop music".

Release and promotion

Sable, Fable was officially announced on February 11, 2025. The first single "Everything Is Peaceful Love" was released on February 14, 2025, alongside a music video directed by filmmaker John Wilson. "If Only I Could Wait" and "Walk Home" were released as singles simultaneously on March 14, 2025.

In promotion of the album, the band announced collaborations with 31 brands, including Rough Trade East and Todd Snyder, all of which were only available on release day. A "state fair" album release party took place on April 12, a day after the album's release, at the Terasaki Budokan in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles. Multiple listening events, dubbed "Fable Spaces", were also organized on April 9 at certain locations around the world.

Critical reception

Sable, Fable received acclaim from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 83, based on 24 reviews, which indicates "universal acclaim".

Track listing

All tracks are produced by Justin Vernon and Jim-E Stack and additionally produced by Asher Weisberg and Ryan Olson, except where listed.

The tracks were released on two discs on vinyl. The tracks on the CD and cassette releases were not divided in the same manner.

Notes

• "..." is only present as a separate track on digital editions. Physical editions bundle it with "Things Behind Things Behind Things" for a combined length of 3:33.
• On vinyl, "Awards Season" ends with a droning noise in the locked groove, which would normally transition into "Short Story". The same edit is included in the digital-download release of the album on Bandcamp (while at least some of the other providers retained the edit from the EP as a track of the album).
• ^[a] signifies an additional producer
• ^[i] signifies an initial producer
• "Awards Season" contains a sample of "Miles Away", written and performed by Phil Cook featuring Amelia Meath.

Personnel

Sable

Fable

Charts