Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago

The story: dude breaks up with his band and his girlfriend simultaneously. Lost in the world, he sets off for his dad's hunting cabin in Wisconsin, to seclude himself under the snow and piece his life back together. After a few weeks, he picks up his guitar again and starts playing and the songs just come. And after a few months of strumming away alone in that cabin in the dead of winter, an album is done. Hence, "Bon Iver" = bon hiver = "good winter" in French.

So what does 4 months of total seclusion sound like? One of the most intensely beautiful acoustic albums since "Pink Moon". The comparisons to Iron & Wine and Elliott Smith can be made, sure, but as Pitchfork said its more like the solo album TV on the Radio's Tunde Adebimpe never made. The contrast of Justin Vernon's powerful voice against the most subtle instrumentation is just fucking perfect. Simply put, you need this album in your life.






Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago