Top Ten Albums of 2012
2. The Avett Brothers- The Carpenter
When I first listened to The Carpenter, by the Avett Brothers, I wasn't immediately sold on the album. The trademark banjo seemed to be missing, there were no bluegrass influenced songs, and the band seemed to be moving to a more pop oriented sound. There is nothing wrong with a good pop album, it just doesn't tend to drift towards my favorite musical tastes.
I was talking to a colleague, mentioning my less than stellar first time listening, and he encouraged me to give it another listen. He assured me that the "banjo is there" and that this was an album worth the extra listen. So, I embarked on a second listen, which led to a third, and eventually it was on my steady rotation.
"The Once and Future Carpenter" is a classic penned Avett Brothers song with heartfelt lyrics and their trademark blended harmonies. "Live and Die" is getting the most airplay for them on this record, and again it is what the classic Avett Brothers fan is expecting. The banjo is prominent and this song would fit on any of their prior albums like a hand in a glove. "And now I spend my days in search of a woman we called purpose, and if I ever pass back through her town I'll stay." That is poetry my friends, and worthy of admiration.
"Through My Prayers" is the first song that I was really drawn to on this album. It is somewhat melancholy because it deals with a painful subject, missing somebody who has passed away. However, most of us can relate to those feelings of loss, and there is some hope of continuing conversations through our prayers.
The first time I heard "Down With The Shine," I wasn't exactly sure what the song was about. Is it speaking of something of luster like a diamond, or since they are from the south, is this a song about the perils of alcohol and abbreviating moonshine with "shine?" I listened to the commentary on Spotify and learned that this is indeed a song about materialism. I find myself singing this song frequently, so it does have a nice ear-worm quality.
I'm still not sure how I feel about "Paul Newman vs. The Demons," this is where they have really experimented with their sound, trying out new ideas. However, I love the fact that I haven't figured out all the songs on the album yet. Any album that requires several listens is typically a better record in the long run, because it necessitates more effort and time to evaluate. This is consistent with many of the finer things in life.
On their next release, I'd love to see them continue to experiment, but would like to see a bit more bluegrass in their music. When they play that music live, you can just see the band and the audience go to a different level, ultimately it is just who they are. They are definitely one of my favorite bands I've personally discovered in the last couple of years, and if you are new to the Avett Brothers, I highly recommend giving their live music a listen.
Brian Richardson
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