Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago (LP, Jagjaguwar)

For Emma, Forever Ago is one of those albums that is so complete in it's perfection that any description belies its true beauty. I will, however, try my best.

If the album exudes a strong sense of loneliness & remoteness, that's probably because Justin Vernon sequestered himself in a remote cabin in Wisconsin for almost four months, writing and recording. The result? An album possessing Elliot Smith’s folk-tinged starkness and the analog-tape warmth of Samuel Beam. The album favours acoustic arrangements, skeletal recordings on analog equipment that are close-recorded. Vernon, however, knows the power of crescendo, both in timbre and volume. And now and then, when he lets his voice shed the hushed/floating affectation, he has a raw abandon that’s quite compelling. While a few parts (horns, drums, and backing vocals) were added in a studio, for the majority of the time it's just Vernon, his voice, and his songs.

It's impossible to pick the best track in an album full of them, but "Skinny Love" shows off his range as he climbs down from the heights of falsetto and shouts out the angry and heartachey words quite convincingly. Framing his voice are suitably subdued arrangements built around acoustic guitars and filled out with subtle electric guitars, the occasional light drums, and slide guitar. Vernon has a steady grasp of dynamics too - the ebb and flow of "Creature Fear" is powerfully dramatic and when the chorus hits it's hard not to be swept away by the flood of tattered emotion. Almost every song has a moment where the emotion peaks and hearts begin to weaken and bend: the beauty of that voice is what pulls you through every time. For Emma captures the sound of broken and quiet isolation, wraps it in a beautiful package, and delivers it to your door with a beating, bruised heart. However, inspite of it's morose undertones, the album never turns into a pity party.

I have no idea who Emma is nor what happened forever ago (Vernon doesn't offer any hints), but it must have been mighty powerful to produce such a meaningful album.

Various Artists - Dark was the Night (LP, 4AD)

Charity albums are much like Christmas albums (don't get me started on the charity Christmas albums) - they start off with good intentions but end up as a collection of uninspired ideas. However noble the cause, it's unlikely that you will ever spin the album a second time.

Dark was the Night, however, is an album that you will keep coming back to. Featuring the who's who of artists on the alternative/folk-rock scene, the album is released by the Red Hot Organisation, to raise funds and awareness in the fight against AIDS. The album is curated by the National's Bryce and Aaron Dessner, and produced by Red Hot's John Carlin. Though the Carlin and the Dessners did not specify a particular theme, the album is surprisingly cohesive.

The triple LP of (mostly) original compositions opens with the whacky and upbeat "Knotty Pine", a collaborative effort from David Byrne and Dirty Projectors. Feist adeptly teams with Death Cab's Ben Gibbard on a cover of Vashti Bunyan's "Train Song" and later slow burns through the outstanding Grizzly Bear collaboration "Service Bell". Spoon provide a badly needed injection of rhythm on "Well Alright". We also get quality contributions from Bon Iver, Arcade Fire, New Pornographers, Yo La Tengo, Riceboy Sleeps, Iron & Wine, and Conor Oberst with Gillian Welch.

Standing out, however, are My Morning Jacket's laid-back "El Caporal" and Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings' Shuggie Otis cover "Inspiration Information". Belle and Sebastian's Stuart Murdoch adds lyrics to an old Scottish folk song, and the resulting "Another Saturday" is one more quiet triumph for him. Dave Sitek's version of the Troggs' "With a Girl Like You" also gets an honourable mention, as does the Books and José González doing a cover of Nick Drake's "Cello Song". Not to be outdone by their invitees, the National shout-out Pavement on the languid "So Far Around the Bend", recalling Pavement doing the same to one of their favorite bands (R.E.M.) on No Alternative.

Overall, the tracks combine to produce a collection which is eclectic and entertaining, without any of the throwaway b-sides that usually clutter compilation albums. The artists have clearly delivered their best work, and the fact that it's for a good cause doesn't hurt.

Eilen Jewell - Sea of Tears (LP, Signature Sounds)

Although singer/songwriter Eilen Jewell has drawn comparisons with artists like Lucinda Williams & Jolie Holland, her strongest influences appear to be Bessie Smith & Billie Holiday. Having earned a reputation as a folkie with her earlier albums, Jewell moves towards a more guitar-heavy, 60's-flavoured roots rock with her third release, Sea of Tears.

The album is mainly Jewell's own compositions, but there are a few great covers thrown into the mix. Jewell's vocals are subtle, understated, and relaxed, but that doesn't make her any less expressive on moody, melancholy originals such as "Codeine Arms", "Rain Roll In", and "Fading Memory". She's as melancholy on her own material as she is on memorable performances of "I'm Gonna Dress in Black" (a gem that Van Morrison performed when he a member of Them in the '60s) and Loretta Lynn's "The Darkest Day". She also does a great cover of Johnny Kidd's "Shakin' All Over".

Eilen Jewell is a distinctive artist with a voice that sinks into your head and just won't leave. The album will defintely be on your year-end "Best Of" list - it's that good.

Taken By Trees - East of Eden (LP, Rough Trade)

Taken by Trees is the name adopted by Victoria Bergsman, former vocalist of the Concretes and guest vocalist on "Young Folks" from Peter, Bjorn and John's third album, Writer's Block.

Her new recordings found Bergsman abandoning the Concretes' sprightly sound in lieu of a more sombre, stripped-down style that put her in league with Camera Obscura. Taken by Trees' first full-length, Open Field, was released in 2007.

For the next Taken by Trees' album, Bergsman wanted to try something different so she and recording engineer, Andreas Söderström, traveled to Pakistan to record with local musicians. This, apparently, was quite an eventful journey, with Bergsman literally being carried off by some locals shortly after the duo arrived in Pakistan; the fact that she was an unmarried woman evidently made her common property. Söderström saved her by posing as her husband, and thus disguised, Söderström and Bergsman went on to team up with a Pakistani musician named Malik to record this album.

The album kicks off with the haunting flute of "To Lose Someone" before Bergsman's melancholy vocals start. The rhythmic percussion and flute continue to dominate the song and the backing vocals are Pakistani, a theme that continues throughout the album. A version of Animal Collective's "My Girls" - changed to "My Boys" – is set to a stately, dipping rhythm of xylophone and percussion. Noah Lennox repays the favour by adding backing vocals to "Anna".

East of Eden is an ambitious project, and Bergsman manages to pull it off admirably, although some parts of the album are a trifle self-indulgent ("Wapas Karna", "Bekännelse"). Even though she's borrowed a lot here - from Animal Collective, Pakistani music - Bergsman manages to make it her own.

Initial vinyl pressings come with the album on CD and an accompanying documentary.

Cowboy Junkies - The Trinity Session (LP, Classic)

Apologies, once again, for my tardiness. Will attempt to be somewhat regular with updates in future. But don't hold your breath.

A gem I recently picked up is the Classic Records 200 gram vinyl reissue of the seminal Cowboy Junkies album, The Trinity Session. The Cowboy Junkies consists of three siblings – Margo Timmins on vocals, Michael Timmins on guitar and Peter Timmins on drums – and their longtime friend Alan Anton on bass

Recorded in the Holy Trinity Church in Toronto, Canada, the album was made in one night using one microphone and a DAT recorder. Who says great albums can't be made in a day?

The Trinity Session is a mix of blues and country covers and originals, but all the tracks on the album are given airy, slow-tempo treatments that allow them to slowly and deliberately unfold. This treatment is accentuated by Margo Timmins's extraordinary voice. Ethereal and cool, her voice fills an almost unimaginable space, especially on "Blue Moon Revisted (Song for Elvis)".

The other tracks that stand out on the album are the original "Misguided Angel" and the cover of the Velvet Underground's "Sweet Jane" (which includes the lost verse). "Sweet Jane" is definitely the linchpin that holds this album together, and as the band states - "The last piece to this very abstract puzzle was Sweet Jane. The Velvet Underground and Lou Reed embody what we feel rock music should be about - slightly out of step, intelligent, groove orientated and original. They have to be listed as one of the great rock bands ever and Sweet Jane, for better or worse, is one of their most recognized songs. It was and still is the backbone of cover bands all across America. It has been pitilessly slaughtered countless times on countless nights on countless stages around the world. We thought, 'lets take it and see if we can breathe new life into this tired old work horse'. We got our inspiration from The Velvets live album entitled 1969. To be honest it is one of our straighter covers, we didn't change it a whole lot. Originally we had tried to record it for the Whites album, but we never got the right feel. For this collection of songs we chose Sweet Jane as being 'our song - this is what we listened to growing up, this is where our musical tastes come from'".

The Cowboy Junkies recorded Trinity Revisited in 2007, joined by artists who were shaped by the original - Natalie Merchant, Ryan Adams and Vic Chestnut. I haven't torn the shrink wrap off that one yet, but it's probably nowhere near being as good as the original.

Fruit Bats - The Ruminant Band (LP, Sub Pop)

After a hiatus of four years during which he became a member of the Shins and Vetiver, Eric D. Johnson returns to the Fruit Bats to give us another offering of Americana and sun-soaked folk. This time, it appears that he's going to stay for good, as he says in his blog: "After three years or so, Fruit Bats are back in the saddle. I spent the last couple of years playing in The Shins (a fine day job if there ever was one), but I’m back in full force with the first love of my musical life. Songs have been written. Recording dates have been written in permanent ink. To prove that I’m serious about this, Fruit Bats will be touring the west coast of the United States of America. How ‘bout it? Other parts of the country, as well as other nations, will be visited later in the year."

Since the initial inception of the Fruit Bats in 1999, they've seen a rotation of nearly 25 members, believe it or not. In keeping with that theme, The Ruminant Band features yet another cast of characters, of whom few have worked with the Fruit Bats before. Nonetheless, this is a thoroughly collaborative release.

The Fruits Bats stay close to their 70's-inspired roots. It's hard not to hear Neil Young in the guitar on "Primitive Man" and "Feather Bed", or Fleetwood Mac in the opening riff on the title track. Heck, they even reference Three Dog Night in the plaintive "Singing Joy to the World". Not to forget the Rolling Stones-inspired chorus on "Tegucigalpa". A bit of the Allman Brothers Band sprinkled all over completes the package.

The Fruit Bats exemplify a band that is content to create easygoing songs with unashamed nods to the past, allowing you to get lost in eerily soothing indie-folk tunes that will leave you wondering what decade it is.

The Fruit Bats are around to stay for a while, but it's nice to know that Eric Johnson has Other Career Options , just in case this doesn't work out. Somehow, I don't see him as a Swashbuckling Ichthyologist, so lets hope it doesn't come to that.

The Eels - Hombre Lobo: Twelve Songs of Desire (LP, Cobraside)

Eels albums generally tend to be built around a thematic concept, and their new record Hombre Lobo is no different. It tells the story of a misunderstood outsider, who is the grownup version of Dog Faced Boy from 2001's Souljacker.

Longtime Eels fans will notice many similarities between the character of Hombre Lobo and E (the front man and only permanent member of the band). They’re both peculiar individuals who enjoy being a step removed from conventional society, although they still want to find their place in the wider world.

Musically, Hombre Lobo draws from the styles of several previous Eels albums. However, it’s E’s lyrics that are the true, bitter joy of this record, sacrificing nothing of their wit in pursuit of heartbreaking, heartbroken directness: "Every day I wake up and wonder why", he sings, opening "All the Beautiful Things", "I’m alone when I know I’m a lovely guy."

While many of the album’s songs are impeccably crafted, only a few of them break new ground. That makes Hombre Lobo more of a satisfying addition to the Eels catalogue, rather than a bold step forward. The album will satisfy Eels fans because of its trademark empathetic vocals and overall wistful tone, but is unlikely to win a lot of new converts.

Ben Sollee - Learning to Bend (LP, Sonablast!)

I picked up this album based on the recommendation of my friendly record store guy, and was instantly pleased. I've never heard him before, although the 24-year old has been around awhile - touring with bluesman Otis Taylor and later a part of The Sparrow Quartet. Learning to Bend is his first solo effort.

Ben Sollee is another in a long line of wandering folksingers. However, instead of a guitar slung over his shoulder, he has a cello. The liner notes for the album state, "It was the cat-poles around the lake at his grandfather's farm that inspired Ben Sollee's debut album Learning To Bend. The frailty of those awkward looking plants standing stoutly against winds that challenged even the strongest of nearby trees is an affecting metaphor for human struggle and perseverance." Ben plays heavyweight as he pens songs about the current political climate, as well as delving into more personal stories along the way. Learning To Bend is filled with songs weighed down with one overwhelming theme - that bending under the heavy weight of something is harder to do at first, but it is the only way to survive.

Despite the heavy theme, the tracks on this album are all personal and friendly. Ben Sollee effortlessly flits from style to style, from retro R&B to folk and old-time fiddle music. The highlight of the album has to be Sollee's rewrite of the Sam Cooke classic, "A Change is Gonna Come".

Sollee was classically trained on the cello, but its apparent that he's interested in taking the instrument in new directions. His first solo effort is a giant step towards that. The album is available on 180 gram white vinyl.

Gomez - Abandoned Shopping Trolley Hotline (LP, Virgin)

The question that begs to be asked about Gomez is how can five blokes from Manchester sound like a bunch of old geezers from the Deep South? Whatever the answer, their sunny, lo-fi take on American country rock has won them much adoration. Abandoned Shopping Trolley Hotline is a collection of their B-sides, live outtakes & radio sessions.

Interestingly, this collection allows Gomez to better define themselves as a band by allowing them to indulge in some of their more experimental tendencies. "Bring Your Lovin' Back Here" gets back to that "classic Gomez" sound, as does the eight-plus minute "Buena Vista". A cover version of The Beatles' "Getting Better" is also included, and has to be one of the best tracks on the album (and a pretty decent cover too).

Despite the fact that this is a collection of odds and ends, Abandoned Shopping Trolley Hotline holds together remarkably well as an album, due to good track selection and intelligent segueing. In fact, some of the songs actually run together quite smoothly, with no break between songs.

This collection shows Gomez to be an extremely self-indulgent band, but their instincts are so good they pull it off without a hitch. Initial pressings include the five-song Machismo EP as a bonus disc.

The Muslims - The Muslims (LP, 1928 Recordings)

My solemn apologies to all the dedicated readers of this blog (by "all", I mean "both"). The last 6 months or so have been a whirlwind of activity and I have been unable to update this blog due to a lack of time (not a lack of good vinyl, I might add). Consider me duly chastised, I will try to be more regular henceforth.

The Muslims, despite a politically incorrect name, will appeal to fans of the Strokes, Modern Lovers, the Stooges and Velvet Underground. They play a catchy, upbeat rock and roll with a simple instrumental line and effortlessly catchy vocals.

These guys are not just another derivative garage rock schtick, they clearly are here for a purpose. As they state in "Future Rock", "Everybody's talkin' 'bout rock and roll...don't let it go to your head, that's all".

Recently renamed The Soft Pack, their debut 7-track LP comes in a silk screened sleeve that were shot with a .22 calibre. The inserts are hand typed, and they have included a CD version of the album with 3 bonus tracks. Frankly, they should have shot the CD with a .22 calibre, that would have been way cooler.

Unfortunately, "Extinction" (one of their best tracks), is available only on the bonus CD. Fear not, the remastered version of the debut comes with all 10 tracks on vinyl. And yes, they're still shooting the covers with that .22.