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A favourite support choice for the Dave Matthews Band, the Avett Brothers have ‘next big thing’ written all over them. Their major label debut album (their 6th overall) will be released through Sony in Australia on February 19. I and love and You was produced by multi-Grammy Award winning producer Rick Rubin (Johnny Cash, Jakob Dylan, Tom Petty). This excellent record further cements their intriguing southern roots sound which the San Francisco Chronicle describes as having the “heavy sadness of Townes Van Zandt, the light pop concision of Buddy Holly, the tuneful jangle of the Beatles, the raw energy of the Ramones.”
There is no harmony like brotherly harmony. Something indelible in the weave of voices and play of sensibilities is stamped into the fraternal DNA and also stems from a lifetime of shared experiences. You can clearly hear fraternal magic at work on I and Love and You, which is the Avett Brothers’ big-label debut— a rootsy amalgam of folk, country, bluegrass, rock and pop with a jab of punk-style dynamics here and there.
The band formed in 2001 in Charlotte, North Carolina when banjoist Scott Avett and guitarist Seth Avett joined forces with standup bass player Bob Crawford. Since then the Avett Brothers have built up a sizable following based on their rowdy, infectious stage shows. On their own, they’ve filled a 7,000-seat venue in Cary, North Carolina, and sold out two nights at the Crystal Ballroom in Portland, Oregon – one of their strongholds. In June 2009, they performed back-to-back sellouts at New York’s Fillmore East. In concert, the high-flying ensemble tears through tunes with unbridled energy, popping banjo and guitar strings right and left while inciting stomping singalongs among audiences that appear to know every word. At times they would seemingly create their own subgenre onstage - “punkgrass,” for lack of a better word. This much is for certain: the Avett Brothers are a grassroots phenomenon, built from the ground up.
The band’s diverse style and consistent touring, along with numerous independent releases, have helped them build a loyal and rabid fan base. Paste Magazine recently voted the new album #1! It attributed the following to the band’s “great songs, constant touring and a no-holds-barred live show that wins them hordes of new converts at every stop.” The Avett Brothers have toured most of 2009 testing out new material, as well as their older songs. This year alone, the band has performed at SxSW Music Festival, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, as well as upcoming stops at Newport Folk Festival, Mulberry Mountain Festival, Outside Lands Festival, Britt Festival, Austin City Limits Festival and more.
The story of The Avett Brothers has been told by word of mouth until now. In April 2010 it’s Australia’s turn to witness what thousands have been loyally following and speaking about for years…
Prediction for 2010 from Jo Roberts, Editor of EG The Age:
“The Avett Brothers to go through the roof in Australia. A brilliant new album produced by Rick Rubin, and the North Carolina Trio are slated to tour here at last. Just you wait.”
See them at Bluesfest, Sydney and Melbourne and just try and wipe the smile from your face!
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