Bonnie “Prince” Billy – Ask Forgiveness

Type: Folk

Good Tracks:
8. The World’s Greatest

This was mostly a cover album with just one original track. Not particularly amazing. His cover of R.Kelly is quite nice though.

Bonnie “Prince” Billy – I See A Darkness

Type: Folk

Good Tracks:
3. “I See a Darkness”
4. “Another Day Full of Dread”

I don’t know, these 2 songs are really amazing but the rest of this album didn’t do anything for me. Seriously though these couple of songs are pretty much the best he’s ever done. Worth it just for the title track. A very overrated album with a few really great songs.

Bonnie “Prince” Billy – The Letting Go

Type: Folk

Good Tracks:
2. “Strange Form of Life” – 3:46
4. “Cursed Sleep” – 5:35

Meh. I really like BPB but this effort was lacking. Track 2 is great, love the guitar. Overall just very blah.

Shugo Tokumaru – Exit

Type: Folk

Good Tracks:
1. Parachute
2. Green Rain
3. Clocca
5. Button
8. Hidamari

Great Japanese folk. Sounds alot like a mellow version of a katamari soundtrack. “Hidamari” is a great track, definitely my favorite. You won’t know what he’s saying unless you’re Japanese, but that’s ok.

Iron and Wine – The Shepard’s Dog

Type: Folk

Good Tracks:
2. “White Tooth Man” – 3:57
4. “Carousel” – 4:02
5. “House by the Sea” – 4:22
6. “Innocent Bones” – 3:43
9. “Boy with a Coin” – 4:06

Liked it. The production is very clean unlike earlier Iron and Wine, you may or may not like that. “Carousel” and “Innocent Bones” are nice. If you’re already an Iron and Wine fan then go for it. I liked the guitar work for “Innocent Bones” most of all.

Beirut – Gulag Orkestar

Type: Folk/Big Band Foreign Dance Party

Good Tracks:
4. “Postcards from Italy” – 4:17
5. “Mount Wroclai (Idle Days)” – 3:15
6. “Rhineland (Heartland)” – 3:58
7. “Scenic World” – 2:08
11. “After the Curtain” – 2:54

I wasn’t sure what to think of this at first, but it quickly grew on me big time. “Postcards from Italy” and “Mount Wroclai” are equally my favorite from this release. Zach Condon and whoever else was involved did an excellent job with some tight instrumentals.

Jens Lekman – Night Falls Over Kortedala

Type: Folk

Good Tracks:
3. “The Opposite of Hallelujah”

Not feelin this at all. Sounds like crappy elevator music. 3rd track is great but the rest is something i want nothing to do with.

Peter and The Wolf – Lightness

Type: Folk

Good Tracks:
1. Midnight Train
2. The Ivy
3. Safe Travels
5. The Highway
15. Lightness

Could’ve been alot better. I say this because it starts off really strong, and then totally falls apart until it gets to the song “Lightness”, which is really good. Best song is “The Highway”.