The Avett BrothersEmotionalismRamseur RecordsFour-and-a-half out of five stars
Though they’ve been around for five years, the Avett Brothers have just begun to get the recognition they deserve.
The Brothers’ 2006 release, Four Thieves Gone, captured the attention of some large crowds and built a great deal of anticipation for their new record, Emotionalism.
Before Four Thieves Gone, the band’s unique sound — which leans like the Tower of Pisa toward punk rock while firmly grounding itself in bluegrass and folk — was still quite obscure. So which of these influences is most relevant to the Brothers’ overall sound? That depends on where you stand in relation to the shadow of the tower.
For Emotionalism, plenty of familiar ground is covered-the plinking banjo, the tremolo, the sincerity of Sam and Seth and the witty, wry lyrics.
But where the 2006 album relied on unpredictability and sass, Emotionalism seems to reach back to a classic folk sound, drawing heavily on James Taylor and Gram Parsons.
Emotionalism also delivers plenty of examples of the Brothers’ signature country-punk-bluegrass sound on tracks “Die Die Die” and “Will You Return,” while “Pretty Girl From Chile” adds a spicy, samba flair to the album.
“The Ballad of Love and Hate” is a lovely country ballad. It’d make you want to slow dance with a pretty girl if it weren’t for the biting, cynical lyrics.
The Avett Brothers’ albums seem to follow the natural evolution of love. Where Four Thieves Gone basked in bright summer love, Emotionalism is the chilly autumn of restless hearts.