Justin Vernon has shared the early iteration of what we know now as Bon Iver’s “Holocene.” Titled “hazelton,” it appears on an upcoming mega box set from his former shortlived band DeYarmond Edison. Stream “hazelton” and its companion track “liner” below.
Originally recorded between June 2005 and May 2006, “hazelton” and “liner” were solo efforts that Vernon old school burned onto CD-Rs for his third solo album, hazeltons. They are some of the oldest recordings to become part of the larger Bon Iver discography, showing how Vernon has been undeniably Vernon since day one. It’s plucky and slightly angsty, with Vernon’s voice a delightful rasp moving up and down the vocal scale.
The DIY album ultimately contributed to DeYarmond Edison’s breakup. The band played their final show no more than a month after its release, with Bon Iver and Megafaun (the band that brothers Brad and Phil Cook went on to form) dropping their respective debut albums less than a year later. “Holocene” later appeared on Bon Iver’s self-titled 2011 album.
hazeltons is one of the LPs included on the massive Epoch box set coming out August 18th on Jagjaguwar. It contains 83 tracks of DeYarmond Edison deep cuts dating back to 1998, spanning over five LPs and four CDs. The set, featuring many previously unheard tracks, is paired with a 60,000-word biography from journalist and executive producer Grayson Haver Currin. Pre-orders are ongoing.
Until then, you can catch Vernon on stage as Bon Iver this summer. Find tickets here.
