There is so much tender beauty in this album. If I Was is a document of resilience, of soldiering through the remains of an obliterated love and finding the courage to do it all over again. It’s one of the greatest albums of its kind — even speaking as somebody in a happily committed marriage, this music just about made my year by virtue of its exquisite beauty. The Staves sing with power and delicacy, they write songs with a sweeping vision, and the arrangements they crafted with Justin Vernon make me want to abuse so many adjectives. I’m going to keep coming back to this one for a long time.
