The Avett Brothers Albums (8)
What The Critics Say
Longtime fans held their breath when Rick Rubin took the Avett Brothers under his wing. What would the co-head of Columbia Records -- a man known for his business savvy, rap-rock production, and resurrection of Johnny Cash -- do with a small-time folk trio from North Carolina? The answer is "relatively nothing," as the band's major-label debut continues charting the same musical course as Emotionalism and Mignonette. The Avett Brothers have steadily expanded their reach since 2000, adding elements of pop and hillbilly rock to a country/bluegrass foundation, and they carry on that tradition with I and Love and You, whose songs introduce a newfound emphasis on piano and nuanced arrangements. Working with a major label's budget allows the group to add small flourishes -- a cello line here, a keyboard crescendo there -- but the resulting music is rarely grand, focusing on textures rather than sheer volume. Scott and Seth Avett share vocals throughout the album, delivering their lyrics in a speak-sing cadence that sounds both tuneful and conversational. Given the opportunities presented here -- the ability to flank their melodies with string sections, organ swells, and harmonium -- the two devote more focus to slower songs, eschewing the barnburning bouncefests of their previous albums for material that better displays such sonic details. The result is an intimate, poignant album, laced with rich production that enhances, not clouds, the songwriting itself. ~ Andrew Leahey, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Americana with attitude is the best way to describe the Avett Brothers' music, a sublime blend of folk, country, hillbilly, and blues, swirled through with pop, rock, and a touch of wry punk. In their dreams, it all sounds perfect, but not so much so, they think, when they awake. "Yeah, you deserve the best," they bemoan, not just some "Hand-Me-Down Tune." Well, regrets, we've all had a few, and the Avett Brothers more than some. But if you're going to be filled with "Shame," best to offset your remorse with an incredibly infectious melody. Besides, life is short, and since we're all going to "Die Die Die," we might as well live and love while we can, even if that does just occasionally mean the band must shrug off "All My Mistakes." And love is the paramount emotion of Emotionalism, be it too young (the bouncy "I Would Be Sad"), Spanish-flavored ("Pretty Girl from San Diego"), blues-flecked ("Living of Love"), or exuberant (the British Invasion-styled "Will You Return?"). However, of the many marvelous romantic-themed numbers, the most striking is the romantic tale "The Ballad of Love and Hate," whose opening line, "Love writes a letter and sends it to Hate," immediately grabs your attention. Elsewhere, the band explores other emotions, like the nervousness that infects the otherwise jaunty "Paranoia in B-Flat Major," or the amusing attempts of the band to shrug off the attentions from cities around the country: "Salina" begins in fingerpicking style but ends with evocative classical piano and cello, and "Pretty Girl from San Diego" also shifts tactics from Spanish guitar to a big rock finish. From lullabies to the contrarily rousing singalong party piece "Go to Sleep," the Avett Brothers pick their way through America's folk styles, and deliver them in ways you'd never expect, all wrapped around lyrics, sometimes wry, sometimes dead-serious, but all delivered with the band's signature intensity. A fabulous album from a band that just keeps getting better. ~ Jo-Ann Greene, All Music Guide
'Four Thieves Gone: The Robbinsville Sessions'
Release Date 1/1/2006
Tracks 17
Label Ramseur
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
The first two cuts on the Avett Brothers' Four Thieves Gone, "Talk of Indolence" and "Pretty Girl from Feltre," reveal that the brothers' style of folk (with lots of other stuff thrown into the mix) is intriguingly left of center. And while some listeners may be somewhat tired of depressed college types who sing, "Be loud, let your colors show...try to keep the madness low" in a nasal drone, they're probably not used to hearing the singer backed by kitchen-sink arrangements that include piano, harmonica, and shouting that stands in for background singing. On "Distraction #74" the band verves in an entirely different direction, doing its best impression of the basement-era Band, updated for the post-millennium. As the album moves on to tracks like "Sixteen in July," "Left on Laura, Left on Lisa," and "A Lover Like You," the Avett Brothers -- Scott Avett, Seth Avett, and Bob Crawford -- continue to make good music, but these songs lack the raw energy of the first four tracks. Things pick up again on the jumpy "Matrimony," and "Pretend Love" has a lovely, gentle feel about it, but the songs, though quite good, fail to match the intensity of the openers. One feels, in the end, that Four Thieves Gone, at nearly 74 minutes, is just too darn long. Nonetheless, the Avett Brothers' style is much fresher and more fun than the average folk or alternative country group's, and is well worth checking out for those tired of the same old, same old. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr., All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The Avett Brothers play a mixture of country, folk, and bluegrass with an infectious sense of enthusiasm. Their performances sometimes sound unpolished, and occasionally sound off-key, but they put so much spirit into their music that the imperfections are engaging instead of off-putting. They usually sound like they're really into their songs, whether they're hollering and stomping their feet, or taking a moment to reflect on life. Their lyrics generally ain't bad, either, and the Avett Brothers are particularly adept at expressing good-natured skepticism, whether they're rejecting the need for a middleman between themselves and God without disrespecting preachers ("Me and God"), or noting the differences between movie romance and loving someone in real life ("Now in the movies they make it look so perfect/And in the background they're always playin' the right song/And in the ending there's always a resolution/But real life is more than just two hours long"). "Love Like the Movies" also includes the sound of a film projector (or something that resembles it), which serves as another reminder that just because the Avett Brothers love old-time music doesn't mean they do everything by the book. So whether they're performing a song about a "Pretty Girl from Raleigh," a "Pretty Girl from Locust," or "Pretty Girl from Annapolis," (if they were the Beach Boys, they probably would have recorded a song for each city in California), they're worth a listen. ~ Todd Kristel, All Music Guide
