Bon Iver's self titled album is hypothetically excellent. It is both a logical and well executed progression from For Emma, Forever Ago, but it's missing something I can't place my finger on. I would not go so far as to call it a soulless record, but it's severely lacking the emotion and intimacy that made For Emma a recent classic.

Even months after its release, the tracks of Bon Iver blur into a nondescript haze of anthemic melodies and tinny guitars. I took absolute ages to approach a review of this album, because while I did briefly consider it as one of the year's best album, I failed to connect with it on any lasting level, and it's left me somewhat ambivalent on the whole.

Bon Iver is a straightforward indie folk album, too balanced for its own good. The songwriting is solid and enjoyable, but I fail to empathize with it, and find its anthems paradoxically passive compared to its predecessor.