It's never been easy to properly describe the sound of the Avett Brothers. Americana, folk, bluegrass, rock - no matter what genre you choose to group the band in, there's no arguing that their sound is both pleasant and distinct. With the band's major label debut, I and Love and You, this once obscure North Carolina trio has reached fantastic levels of success. Produced by Rick Rubin and released on his American Recordings imprint, I and Love and You is no doubt the most polished and radio ready Avett Bros record to date. Sadly, that also means that some of the earthy charm of past Avett albums is lost along the way. That doesn’t mean that the group’s major label debut is anything close to regression though. Rather, I and Love and You is an album teeming with life and maturity.
The record begins with the gorgeous piano driven title track. Scott Avett’s unique vocal delivery brings us the softly crooned line, “Oh Brooklyn, Brooklyn take me in” and it doesn’t take long before we’re sucked into the mystique of the Avett’s charm. The following track switches directions by giving us the Seth Avett sung, toe-tapping, banjo-saturated, “January Wedding,” my personal favorite track on the album.
Much of I and Love and You follows familiar territory for the band, just sometimes presented in a slightly different way. While the record may win more fans with its more approachable sounds, they never really commit anything that could be considered heresy among diehard fans (though the band does try their hand at something akin to pop-rock at times). And though experimentation by the Avett Brothers isn’t shocking, songs like the upbeat “Kick Drum Heart” and rambunctious “Slight Figure of Speech” just don’t seem to really suit the band. “The Perfect Space” is kind of an iffy track as well, as much as I like the touching piano led first half, I really can’t stand the goofy upbeat second half that seems completely at odds with the beginning of the song.
Still, it’s easier to write about what I enjoyed about the Avett Bros new album than what I disapproved of. “And It Spread” is one of my favorites. It’s a somewhat subtle, percussion led track that’s both engaging and memorable. Meanwhile the loveable “Laundry Room” is a catchy track in the old school Avett Brothers sort of way, with a well constructed chorus and weaving harmonies between Scott and Seth, rather than campy power pop.
All complaints aside, it’s hard not to let the enjoyable aspects of I and Love and You shine above the missteps. Whether it’s a slow paced, delicate lament or an upbeat raucous number, the Avett Brothers have it covered on their 6th full length album, and for the most part it’s done pretty gracefully. Though as a whole the album may seem a bit overproduced for my particular liking, I can’t deny the appeal of the group’s new album. There really is a lot to love here.
"I and Love and You" is on sale September 29, 2009 from Sony.
