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20.) Bon Iver – Bon Iver


The reaction to Bon Iver’s self-titled second album seems to be one of extremes. People either really love it (Pitchfork named it the best album of 2011) or they really aren’t impressed by it (either legitimately or out of hipster backlash). I am in a middle ground that really thinks the album is damn good but not great. I really, really enjoy this album from start to finish. I’m not even a fan of Justin Vernon’s first album as Bon Iver; that stripped-down shit rarely works for me. This album though? It is way more interesting. There’s all kinds of electronic samples and synth lines and saxophones (!) and orchestral flourishes making the songs bigger, more expansive. The middle lags a bit, but the first four tracks and last three tracks continue to impress me, listen after listen. I won’t belabor this album, as enough has been written about it already in every music publication ever. It certainly has my stamp of approval though.