03.

Bon Iver
For Emma, Forever Ago

A small but perfectly formed album of naked passion and astounding songwriting. Up until mid-summer, this was easily my number one. It stands as a testament to what good simple songwriting can do. Although his voice is ok, he’s not the best singer in the world. He’s not the best guitar player either. But…he can write and, crucially, you get the feeling that he means it. Every word and every note. The album is so minimal and sparse, that sometimes it feels like it’s not there at all (take, as just one example, ‘Blindsided’, which has almost nothing to it, but is completely brilliant). On the few occasions that the record does spark into life, it comes as something of a shock, and has all the more impact for that (take the end of ‘Creature Fear’, or, better still, the impassioned chorus of ‘Skinny Love’). This is just one man and his acoustic guitar, recorded on a four track. There’s hope for us all. An album I’ll still be coming back to in ten years time.