Bon Iver — For Emma, Forever Ago

Justin Vernon, known here as Bon Iver, can kiss his solitude goodbye. For Emma, Forever Ago, which the folk songwriter recorded almost entirely on his own during a winter escape to his father's cabin in rural Wisconsin last year, is simply too stunning a solo debut for him to hide out now. Introspective acoustic numbers populate the collection for the most part, while the occasional exercise in full-band orchestration — the horn-adorned, slide-guitar gem "For Emma," for instance — illustrate Vernon's future promise. But this record's most mesmerizing quality is its utter and profound intimacy. You can hear Vernon scratch his beard in between guitar strums on "The Wolves (Act I and II)." His rich and soulful falsetto — often multi-tracked — permeates the crevices of these songs in irresistible ways. It can be tough at times to decipher Vernon's enigmatic lovelorn lyrics, but that's just as well, because this is a puzzle well worth spending time on.