The Avett Brothers - I And Love And You

The Avett Brothers have gotten shoulder-tapped to join the big leagues. Leaving their tireless promoter Ramseur Records for the major-label calling of American Recordings, this North Carolina trio continues to expertly marry the ramshackle acoustic sweetness of The Band with the tender, pensive lyricism of Townes Van Zandt. With production assistance from grizzled vet Rick Rubin, The Avett Brothers sound tuned to perfection: a cello embedded in vocal harmonies, string sections swelling to grandiose elegance, with all the acoustics sounding hearth-warmed. But equally, their songs carry an introspective and softhearted appeal. "January Wedding" captures the adoring excitement of a fiancé's crush: "She knows which birds are singing/and the names of the trees where they're performing/ in the morning." The emotional gravity pull of "The Perfect Space" has the rumpled feeling of an older man in reflection. But just a quickly, they can kick in the beat, and return to revved-up rock and roll as on the amped-up piano pop of "Kick Drum Heart" and the hand-clap bop of "Slight Figure Of Speech". A well-excuted album from start to finish.