Bon Iver "Bon Iver, Bon Iver" [2011]

Proof that musical bombast doesn't only come in brassy, loud colors, Bon Iver on "Bon Iver, Bon Iver" (hey -- I think they'd like us to know their name is Bon Iver) generates the pompous overkill in slow, muted tones like an uncomfortably distended stomach filled with gas bubbles. Thus, though most of the sounds here are offered up subtly, almost as suggestions, this album still vehemently subscribes to the "kitchen sink" mentality of filling as many of the infinite tracks as possible before submitting to the A&R department. Which might be OK if the end result didn't sound exactly like Sufjan Stevens drowning at the bottom of the pool. Zen-like acoustic guitar monotony mixed with James Blunt vocals (after smoking a big Blunt) and horn sections buried under six inches of topsoil are the main ingredients here, and if you're starting to nod off right now just listening to the description, perhaps it'd help if you knew Bon Iver also apparently rented out Vampire Weekend's marching band for this album. No, I didn't think it would.