The Avett Brothers have come a long way from their North Carolina roots. So far, their latest effort, I and Love and You, has landed them on network television twice and sent them on an extensive US tour, with dates booked as far out as spring 2010. With a little help from Rick Rubin and his American Recordings imprint, The Avetts are making quite a dent.
On the surface, the Avett Brothers seem to be riding the wave of hipster-friendly folk songwriting that’s been steadily growing in popularity. In reality, not only is their brand of roots rock more authentic, but they’re much harder to pinpoint in the genre spectrum, a trait on which they pride themselves. “Kick Drum Heart” channels the Beatles circa the White Album, while “Head Full of Doubt, Road Full of Promise” rings of Wilco’s alt-country side. To call them eclectic would be an understatement…yet if you like one song, you’re sure to enjoy the full album.
Vocalists Seth and Scott Avett, who handle the lion’s share of instrumental duties, also have distinct personalities as frontmen. Scott is the more prominent lead singer and has a “rock ‘n’ roll” edge. His best track, “The Space Between,” abruptly morphs into a pleasantly raucous affair on which he not only shines but drives the song forward. Meanwhile, Seth’s voice is sweeter and a bit more subdued, but compensates with palpable emotion – his impassioned harmonies complement Scott at every occasion. In fact, Seth is likely responsible for most of the pathos that permeates the album, one of the threads running through all the songs that keeps I and Love and You cohesive.
That other thread is the sound. Rick Rubin, hailed by MTV as the “most important producer of the last 20 years,” opted for his signature production methodology: less is more. Particularly appropriate for the Avetts’ down-home brand of Americana, Rubin’s influence keeps the listener feeling like they’re hearing the music rather than the recordings. It may not seem like it, but that’s a big difference.
At 13 tracks, the earnest folk rock of I and Love and You gets a little tired, but there a few upbeat tracks sprinkled in that are sure to pique your interest. Though the Avett Brothers have been active for almost a decade already, don’t expect them to go away anytime soon.
