Possessing a striking, teeth-clenched falsetto that, like Tom Brosseau, Dirty Projectors, TV On The Radio or local heroes Sandro Perri and The silt, draws you in and compels you to pay attention, Justin Vernon (formerly of Raleigh NC's DeYarmond Edison) retreated to his father's cabin in rural Wisconsin to record the bulk of this album, originally self-released last year and now picked up by Jagjaguwar. The project name is purposely corrupted from French for "good winter", a perfect image to pair with these happy-sad songs of solitude.