I’ve seen the Avett Brothers live show twice. My one-word impressions were: wild, creative, lyrical, fun, memorable. It was kind of like punk-bluegrass where these guys were playing a kick drum and a high-hat cymbal while strumming stringed instruments and singing (and, at times, screaming).
I felt like they had tremendous energy and potential, yet were right on the edge of shtick.
Along comes their new album “I and Love and You” (American Recordings) with well-known producer Rick Rubin. Anytime your CD is being sold at Starbucks, you’ve jumped a significant level in the music business. I was curious how much of the rawness and infectious energy I experienced in their live show would be retained in the prominent release.
It turns out quite a bit. It’s a wide-ranging album with infectious roots grooves, heartfelt singing with lovely harmonies, screaming, and a tuba (on my favorite song on the record, “Tin Man”). There’s a quality of sadness and searching and struggle that can be summed up well in a line from their tune “Ill With Want”: “Temporary is my time/Ain’t nothing on this world that’s mine/Except the will I’ve found to carry on.”
A wild Avett in concert.
There’s a supreme confidence in the performance and delivery of the lyrics, even if the lyrical content sometimes conveys the uncertainties and pain to this life we all trudge through. The pairing of the Avetts and Rubin has produced a record that has an epic, lasting quality to it. It feels like a new and old album at the same time.
It reminds me of something — a cliche that rings true — that Redding record producer and former Foreigner bassist Bruce Turgon told me in regards to putting one’s self out there when making a record: “Sometimes you have to go big or go home.”
The Avett Brothers
The Avett Brothers went way big.
They had the audacity to start the record with two lush, multi-layered (and beautiful) ballads: the title track and “January Wedding.” It’s not until we get to “Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise” and “And It Spread,” that we start feeling the loose, crunchy Americana vibe that tends to define this group in its live show.
The record has some emotive, poppy, big-production qualities to it that I’m still digesting (do I like them?). But the songwriting seems so fresh and innovative to me. The ultimate test: I keep listening to it. When I heard the record being played in a Redding coffee shop, it gave me a pretty big charge.
For music samples, tour dates and more, visit the group’s website.
