The Avett Brothers

I'm typically not a fan of country; however, I make an exception for my fellow North Carolinians, The Avett Brothers. The brothers, Scott and Seth Avett, are from Concord, NC, and began their musical meanderings together in 2000 as the punk/rock group "Nemo". While still in Nemo, the brothers began to experiment with acoustic instruments, and shortly after Nemo's first LP was released, the group disbanded, allowing the brothers to pursue a more folk, bluegrass, and acoustic sound.

Now, twelve LPs later, the band's latest release, "I And Love And You" is not really my thing. It is contrived to a fault, and it seems as though the brothers Avett have lost a lot of the homegrown, slightly unconventional approach to acoustic that makes their 2007 LP "Emotionalism" so disarmingly lovely. Despite that, I can't seem to stop listening to the track "Laundry Room". I am one of the many cynical people in this world, and instead of cringing at lyrics that speak of heartfelt affection, the way the words are spun between the plunking of banjo, contrabass, cello, and acoustic guitar makes me think I may be more vulnerable than I would otherwise like to believe. It may not disarm you in the same way that it does me, but if curiosity strikes you, check out a bit of their Tiny Desk Session recorded this Fall from NPR. Thank you, Hads.