Bon Iver - Bon Iver

I hadn't really expected anything of this album, having not been a fan of Bon Iver's studio debut For Emma, Forever Ago. Nor did I give it the full attention it probably deserved upon it's release. Having written the self-titled sophomore offering off as another lacklustre effort, I dismissed it to explore other musical opportunities. However, I found myself frequently in conflict with people whose opinions I trusted musically, so I gritted my teeth and assumed I was the problem.

Elbow - Build A Rocket, Boys!

I've always been a bit on the fence about Elbow. From their first release, 2001's Asleep in the Back, the band showed true promise. Decent songwriting with the occasional good-to-very good track here-and-there. I was in a frenzy in 2003 waiting for the album to come out, and while I liked the direction they took on some songs, the disparity between really good songs and really bad songs was more evident. After finding their next two albums to be much of the same, I became concerned that the hot prospect I'd championed would never be able to reign in their style and take control of it.

Abigail Washburn - City of Refuge

First thing is that it's definitely not going to appeal to everyone. There's a lot of Celtic and Old Country sensibilities here, so if that turns you off immediately, probably nothing I'm going to write going forward is going to change anything.

2011 Wheelhouse

The Master List of albums I'm reviewing for the Best of 2011. If you think I missed something, let me know!