Scores,Saturday

1. Sigur Ros-Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust 3.5/5
First,I like the cover-it says something about youth in a tragic way.The album has prominent traces of Sufjan Stevens-there are few strong tunes (like the second track,also in Icelandic-I won't attempt to spell out here) but there's a lot of that modern,airy filler sound a la the type overused in the last two Coldplay albums,all that heavy layering just makes a song sound devoid of substance.But the musical arrangements are nothing short of creative,and the vocals reek of a despair and wanting I ache to comprehend.

2. Bon Iver-For Emma,Forever Ago 4.8/5
If you like Tracy Chapman,Radiohead,The Decemberists,TV on the Radio,The National,Fleet Foxes this might work for you and I love it for reminding what ballads can do.Working on a simple formula (a lot of acoustic guitar,calm and patient vocals-the both interact so well,each song is a different kind of meditation) they manage something that is equally heartbreaking as it is uplifting.

+Black Cab Sessions,where they've rounded up a lot of big indie names-each faced with the challenge of singing a song in a moving black cab.They're all good,but none can beat Lykke Li's acoustic take on "I'm Good,I'm Gone".

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