$14.98 (list price), Folk/Soul, Self-released (Out on Jagjaguwar in February)

Basic Story: With nothing but wintertime hibernating in mind, Bon Iver secluded himself in a Wisconsin cabin where he spent three months recording his debut.

Sample: "Come on skinny love just last the year/ pour a little salt we were never here/ my, my, my, my, my, my, my, my/ staring at the sink of blood and crushed veneer."

Verdict: For whatever reason, Bon Iver (Justin Vernon) needed some alone time. Given the mood of the songs, it seems as though his "escape" was an attempt to deal with issues ranging from hope to heartbreak. But this isn't just another folk singer strumming away sad songs on his acoustic guitar. At times, Vernon's soulful vocal delivery recalls that of Tunde Adebimpe, the singer of TV on the Radio, which gives off a sense of triumph rather than despair. Am I a bad person for hoping his heart gets broken again?