I And Love And You

So the Avett Brothers move over to a major label, and get the treatment their amazing sound has deserved for years.The sound is essentially the same , but more refined, lusher, fuller,but still quintisentially american, even though it is clearly a change in direction. Drum kits, hammond organ, less of the screeching (you still get bits),and less banjo, all in all less hardcore roots americana, but glorious nonetheless. Their artistry is on display on the album cover, courtesy of Scott Avett, including three portraits in the tryptych sleeve inner.
For years the boys have toured ceaslessly, gathering in their wake a devoted set of fans who have held the Avett Brothers close to their chests, wanting the world to know but by turns keeping them to themselves. Then along comes Rick Rubin, (the americana master producer) and out pops an album that is both masterful, powerful,heartfelt,but most importantly to me,as sincere as all that precede it.
The Avetts have always done ballads, with gorgeous harmonies aplenty, but this album is chock full of epic heartwarming ballads, but not cheesy stuff,the theme is nothing new-love-but there is not one throwaway lyric on this album. On the inner sleeve is a short essay written by Seth Avett on the words "i" and "love" and "you"-"....emotional imperfection is a reality for those who recorded this peice as it is for those who will hear it", and even the essay doesn't sound trite.
Musically I guess there is no looking back now, they are as intense on this album as they have ever been, but manage to do so without smashing up the kitchen sink,awash with superb great melody and mature lyrics, it is their finest to date. I absolutely adore it.
There have been a rash of Americana albums recently from The Duke and The King, Son Volt etc, this album sits atop of the pile. I have said before, one of the best bands on the planet, but still largely unknown.
4 stars, 5 is for perfection and to call it perfect would be silly, but god its good.

Probably destined to be America's best kept musical secret the Avett's under the wistful direction of Rick Rubin have produced another great record chock full of memorable tunes.The punkier elements from earlier recordings are largely absent much more piano and less banjo regretable maybe but fortunately the songs are as good as anything they've written before.
Ruminations on life death love and heartache more dark than light but when their wonderful harmonies kick in you can't help but raise a smile and crack open a bottle.
Great stuff.

To start with an emphatic statement the Avett Brothers are a class act awaiting a huge UK audience. Their last full album "Emotionalism" has some of the best Americana songs of the past decade (Weight of Lies and Pretty Girl from Chile) while the "Gleam EPs" (reviewed elsewhere) are true wonders. They showcase the bands quieter side with songs such as "Weight of Lies" "Tear down this house" "Murder in the city" and "St Josephs" that will require the Office of Fair Trading to investigate your I Pod because of the dangers of an emerging monopoly. Throughout the brothers sing like their lives depend on it and their concerts have a massive reputation for the sheer high energy impact. Check them out on the web you will be enthralled at every raucous, earnest, sweaty second of it and see a band that can look like veterans of the Battle of Shiloh and draw upon the heritage of Earl Scruggs, Bill Monroe and more latterly the Everly's and the Band.

With this pedigree their new album "I and Love and you" has hit the Billboard top twenty in the States and should see the a long overdue UK breakthrough for the Brothers from Concord, North Carolina who have displayed over the past decade consistently high quality albums and brilliant song writing. For good measure the legendary Rick Rubin of Johnny Cash fame has been brought into produce it and that may be where a slight issue is to be located. The Avetts have always had a very enduring rough edge, indeed it is there rawness and spontaneity which have been a most special characteristic (listen to the wonderful "November Blue" for their rough charm and gritty edginess). Rubin has smoothed this and in turn has put to the fore the pop sensibility which has been displayed on previous albums. "Will you return" on Emotionalism is one of the best early songs that Lennon and McCartney never wrote. The upshot is that Rubin's approach does work overall but can on occasions overplay "the pop" side of the Avett's and downplay the bluegrass punk. Thus "It Goes On and on" describes itself, sounding rather like a Elvis Costello song with a repetitive lyric, "Slight figure of the Speech" sounds a bit too much the Kooks while the best of the bunch is "Kick drum heart" could have been beefed up production wise.

The great news is that when Rubin gets it right he takes the band to new heights. There are songs on here that rank and surpass their best. The title track is superb; a heartfelt and poignant love song with the refrain of "A Brooklyn, Brooklyn take me in, you don't now the shape I'm in" lingering in your head long after the song has finished. "January Wedding" is the Avetts of old and all the better for it. It's truly joyous and wholly sentimental but try not to love it (and at last a banjo can be heard). I would venture to suggest that "Laundry Room" will be one of their signature songs, it's brilliant. Please download it since you will love this country ballad and check out the brothers high energy performance on You Tube, particularly in the songs last minute. Head Full of Doubt/ Road Full of Promise" begins with a stringed arrangement by the end will have you singing like an idiot at the top of your voice. Perfect Space is slow piano ballad which has a nice bridge at about 2.30 showing the brothers' willingness to experiment. I would love to see them perform this live, infact the songs I don't like may be transformed in a live environment and make more sense.

Overall then its a great album and overwhelmingly the good massively outweighs some of the caveats set out in this review. On "Emotionalism" the Avett Brothers pointed towards greatness and on this album they fully consolidate that. Q magazine, which has begun to radically lose the plot of late, has cast them as the "bluegrass Kings of Leon", which is both lazy and inaccurate. Most bands can only dream about writing songs as good as the title track and "Laundry Room" and if "I and Love and You" leads you to dig deeper into the Avett's catalogue both old and new you will find the total package and a band that will capture your heart.