The Avett Brothers

An Old World Way of Thinking

originally published October 1, 2008

As musical acts with sibling cores go, The Avett Brothers are a refreshing blessing on the contemporary rock scene. Without apologies to iniquitous Disney public relations experts and high-end cosmetologists endorsing spurious grooming standards, they are not a boy band. The well-favored North Carolinian youths wear wedding rings rather than purity rings, and they wear their hair without a care. No eyeliner or New Jersey orange tans. No posing for pictures with A-listers on red carpets at fatuous functions. Instead, Scott (banjo) and Seth Avett (guitar), along with accomplished time-keeper, bassist Bob Crawford, offer mostly acoustic songs written with wise-beyond-their-years awareness, authentic moxie, and a relatively rural perspective that doesn’t drip with Southern, small-town clichés and naïveté.

The band very recently released The Second Gleam, a six-song EP that Scott Avett admits, “may not necessarily be for most people just getting introduced to our music,” before adding, “We try to keep the sessions very natural, simple and short. We keep things pretty dark and get into a mood that we hope comes through on tape. It’s definitely a different kind of record for us.” Even so, the offering shouldn’t be dismissed as mere fan club fodder. Just as in 2006’s initial installment of The Gleam series, the human condition is examined through the eyes and experiences of informed young men and distilled into shot glasses containing a high proof and honest elixir. Songs like “Murder in the City” and “St. Joseph’s” showcase The Avett Brothers' penchant for sparse, uncontrived freedom from complexity, and they tug at heartstrings in the process.

Sometimes the two-part harmonies and old timey melodies are an extra button on a flannel shirt collar fastened to warm against the nip in the autumn evening air. But, in all likelihood, for better or worse, the slow numbers are not the reason the Georgia Theatre will be brimming with bodies and putting that big-ass ceiling fan to the test during the band’s two-night stand. Vampires, like The Avett Brothers, can be calm and captivating as they exude sexuality, sophistication and gravitas from the shadows. Thankfully, the Brothers have no appetite for blood and don’t have trouble operating in a spotlight. But like vampires, they can be fearlessly frenetic. When their voices are in cacophonous conflict and they howl in hirsute unison and their fingers pick through steel strings like a straight blade and the sweat sails from their brow and showers the stage, it’s impossible for listeners and observers to feel anything less than affected and satisfied.

As for vampires, Scott was only momentarily thrown by the comparison. “My God, vampires?” he questioningly chuckled before adding, “Well, I guess the first thing that comes to mind is Roky Erickson [psychedelic music pioneer, junk mail enthusiast, and the man that wrote the not-yet-famous song, 'Night of the Vampire'], and anyone who sings about two-headed dogs is OK with me - at least for the time being. I’ll admit when I was a kid, that vampire costume was a Halloween staple.”

Don’t expect horror show gore or psychoactive theatrics when the band delivers its unique brand of Appalachian jams with an undeniably punk rock aesthetic. What has been referred to as "grungegrass," is exactly what the kids crowding the Theatre won’t be able to chat through. Expect set lists to be culled from the more rollicking cuts of their prolific canon of Ramseur Records releases, like the manic freak-out “Talk of Indolence” and the driving dirge “Colorshow” from 2006’s Four Thieves Gone: The Robbinsville Sessions or the (literally) electric “Pretty Girl from Chile” from 2007’s Emotionalism.

It will be interesting to watch the band navigate the next phase of its artistic development. Having recently signed with American Recordings (Slayer, Johnny Cash), the band is obviously poised for success, but will it come in the form of head banging with bluegrass instrumentation or will the songs be stripped, then showcased? Historically speaking, label honcho and über-producer Rick Rubin (who manned the board on the Avett’s forthcoming release) isn’t a fan of unnecessary embellishment, but it’s difficult to imagine anyone trying to produce an Avett Brothers major-label debut without attempting to bottle some of their unpredictable lightning.

So, what attracted Rubin to the band in the first place? “I can’t tell for sure,” says Scott, adding, “We have an old world way of thinking - faith that if we keep working hard at what we do and we do our best, something will happen. [Laughing] It’s worked better than I thought it would. We knew we’d learn a lot about making records [working with Rubin], and we’ve been able to stretch our legs, but the approach has been similar to the approach we had with Ramseur - keeping things simple and iconic.  A little bit goes a long way…”  As for talking beards with Rubin, Scott quickly confessed, “In that room beards were just a prerequisite.  Everybody stopped shaving.”

David Eduardo

WHO: The Avett Brothers
WHERE: Georgia Theatre
WHEN: Thursday, Oct. 2 & Friday, Oct. 3
HOW MUCH: $25