Jagjaguwar

I always marvel at the endless derivations of a voice paired with acoustic guitar; Bon Iver (AKA Justin Vernon) is the latest to embrace and advance that basement tape sound. French for “Good Winter” (and intentionally misspelled), there couldn’t be a more apropos name to sum up this debut, supposedly recorded in a remote Wisconsin cabin during that season. It curls up in the sometimes difficult and sometimes comforting moments of solitude. There are two surprises here: the arrangements and the vocals – a soulful drawl that comes off like a chilled-out Kyp Malone, with accurate pitch but more importantly unrestrained emotion.

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