This is probably the best record I have heard this year.
As the story goes, This album just fell out of Justin Vernon as he spent the winter in a cabin in northern Wisconsin. Recorded on minimal equipment with only a drum, guitar, and layers of his voice, he creates a sound that pulls you in, and lets you drift.
Released at the tail end of winter, this album captures that quiet elegance that comes with the comfort of snow. The songs paint a picture of the soft stillness of the cold, but the sound provides so much warmth.
He's playing a handful of dates, some of which he's opening for wilco this summer. It should be interesting to see if his sound can be translated from the record to stage. But in the mean time... this album sounds great in your ears, and on your speakers.