Dulcimer Guitar: "Skinny Love" w/Justin Blanner, Cumberland River Dulcimer

We’re probably a solid decade overdue adding this one to the channel… but hey, better late than never.

“Skinny Love.”
Man.

This song has that quiet, fragile energy that just hangs in the air. Written by Justin Vernon and released on For Emma, Forever Ago back in 2007, it’s basically the sound of heartbreak in a cabin in the woods. Sparse. Honest. A little cracked around the edges in all the right ways.

It’s not polished. It’s not flashy. It’s just real.

Lyrically, it’s about a relationship that’s hanging on by threads — “skinny love” being that thin, strained version of love that’s trying to survive but maybe shouldn’t. And musically? That off-kilter rhythm and open, ringing chords create this tension that never quite resolves… which is kind of the point.

And I’ve gotta say — Bon Iver was one of the finest live shows I’ve ever seen. I’m usually not the guy who wants to hear the album recreated note-for-note. Give me something new. Stretch it. Surprise me.

But when they toured the second record (Bon Iver, Bon Iver), the way they translated those layered, atmospheric recordings into a live experience was seriously impressive. Big sound. Tight arrangements. Emotional without being over-the-top. Just masterful musicianship.

So yeah… long overdue.
But this one deserves its moment.

— Ryan