5 things to know about Bon Iver's '22, A Million'

EAU CLAIRE — Justin Vernon is most at home in Eau Claire.

That's not exactly a secret anymore. Several of the songs on the last two Bon Iver albums have carried Wisconsin references, and he even gave a shout out to the small city when he won the Grammy Award for best new artist in 2012.

So it made sense that while preparing to release his new album, he called reporters from all around the world to his hometown to preview his new music and chat with him. USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin attended a listening session and press conference Friday night in Eau Claire to discuss Bon Iver's forthcoming album, 22, A Million, which is set to be released Sept. 30.

Here are the top five takeaways of the night:

1. Don't expect the new album to sound like the old. 

Bon Iver's two previous albums were based upon his acoustic guitar and hushed vocals. As Vernon described his singing, he said at the press conference that his earlier vocals were almost like whispering.

That hushed tone is all but gone on 22, A Million.

"I think it's that thing of wanting to bash things apart a little bit," Vernon said of his new sound. "And break through some stuff. I needed it to sound a little radical for me to feel good, I guess. Putting something out in the world like this, it's not embarrassing for me, but the old records are of this kind of sad nature, you know. I was healing myself through that stuff. And being sad about something is okay (but) then wallowing in it, circling the same cycles emotionally just feels boring."

2. Vernon has been spending a lot of time with other artists. 

Vernon spent a lot of time working on other projects during his five-year hiatus from Bon Iver. He collaborated with other Wisconsin artists as a part of Volcano Choir. He took on the blues with Shouting Matches. And then, of course, there were the collaborations with Kanye West on the albums My Dark Twisted Fantasy and Yeezus. All of those collaborations helped to make "22, A Million" what it is.

"When you're with somebody, they can show you how to be yourself more," Vernon said about working with other artists. "The collaboration is more fun and ... it lengthens you. It makes you stand up taller and makes you have to kind of prove yourself. I don't know, I've learned a lot from it. And it's fun to not just have to work on my own thing — my music. It's very valuable to just step away from that kind of stuff because it charges the batteries."

The influence of other artists also bleeds into the new album in the form of samples. In the song 22 (OVER S∞∞N), pieces of Mahalia Jackson's How I Got Over (Live) can be heard. Other samples can be heard throughout the album, worked in through auto-tuned effects to give an otherworldly effect to the music.

3. Eau Claire may have played a big role in creating Justin Vernon. But he's had an even bigger effect on the city. 

Vernon claims his Wisconsin heritage proudly. He widely makes it known that he's from Eau Claire and the pride he holds for his hometown is endearing.

But the city is even more proud of him. Eau Claire takes pride in the things he has accomplished, said Kate Beaton, who is a manager at an art shop downtown called Tangled Up in Hue.

"(He) is a symbol for our community, a lot of people find pride in Justin Vernon," Beaton said. "We have him and he wants to be here."

Vernon has been instrumental in the revitalization of the city's downtown. And he created the Eaux Claires festival, which he has hosted near the city for the last two summers, and where he first premiered the songs of 22, A Million in August.

"I had people from all over the world in here," said Billy Siegel, the owner of Revival Records, a record shop in downtown Eau Claire that Vernon often frequents, who said he saw a massive uptick in patronage during the festival.

"It's more than any owner could ask for."

4. This album is all about listening. And Vernon has a couple of recommendations on how to do it. 

Vernon offered up a little bit of wisdom on how he thinks fans should listen to the new album — or, at least, an idea about where.

"A place where you can feel alone maybe, or a moment of reflection," he said. "Music in general is about self discovery, self understanding."

So when you get your hands on a copy of 22, A Million, make sure to give it the undivided attention and moments of reflection that it deserves.

5. Vernon says there (hopefully) won't be another long hiatus after 22, A Million.

Bon Iver took such a long break between records because, to put it simply, Vernon was burnt out. He was touring too much, with no time to think about new music, he said.

"One of the things I'm trying to do is not go on tour so constantly, so that I'm like 'I'm never going on tour again!'" he said. "Not go out on tour so much and actually plan some time ... There's other things in life to be doing, you know."

Vernon said that Bon Iver will be heading out West for a handful of tour dates, and then will remain there for a while.

"I'm going to try to make some music with people I've never gotten to make music with. Try to make the music I'm hearing," he said. "I want to make sure things are balanced out."

Contact reporter Laura Schulte at 715-297-7532 or leschulte@gannett.com; on Twitter @schultelaura.