It's been three years since Magpie and the Dandelion came out, and every time the Avett Brothers have sang a "new" song on-stage since, I have wondered how much longer my ears would have to wait patiently before they could be blessed again with a new album. Last year, they had been singing more recently-written tunes with working titles like "Method Actor" (which didn't make it to this release; hopefully it'll be on a third Gleam EP), "Angel Wings" (which later became "Mama, I Don't Believe"), and "True Sadness". It wasn't until March 13 of this year that the Brothers sang the main single, "Ain't No Man", live for the first time at McDowell Mountain Music Festival. A day later, Seth wrote a letter to fans announcing that True Sadness would be coming out on June 24. I was ecstatic.
Now that the album has been out for a few weeks, I wanted to try something new for my blog: a full album track-by-track review, with special guest writer Dylan Turner!
Now that the album has been out for a few weeks, I wanted to try something new for my blog: a full album track-by-track review, with special guest writer Dylan Turner!
Ain't no man
You say you look funny, I say you're a star |
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I remember sitting in my dorm room replaying the DCRANGERFAN video over and over and almost being late to class. I fell in love with the song instantly. It's bursting with energizing encouragement and motivation from start to finish--lyrically and musically. Seth said, “We don’t always wake up in the morning thinking, ‘All right! Now I’m gonna knock it out today. I’m going to be joyful and I’m gonna be confident, but I’m also gonna contribute!’ Some days, you’re stepping into ‘em feeling just like a wounded animal. It just takes everything you’ve got to act civilized, in a way. So I think the song is a little like just giving yourself a motivational speech, and just getting solid and getting centered and kind of squaring your shoulders up, picking your head up, and just getting into it.”
I heard an interview with Scott a few weeks ago in which he mentioned that the he had written the chorus back in 2005 or 2006. It's amazing that it didn't have any use again until this moment. The song relies heavily on the bass-line, and the rest is just clapping, stomping, and vocals. I think it's an interesting approach and I was pleasantly surprised at the simplicity of it. [Jimmy Fallon has an extra about how they wrote the song, which you can watch here].
I heard an interview with Scott a few weeks ago in which he mentioned that the he had written the chorus back in 2005 or 2006. It's amazing that it didn't have any use again until this moment. The song relies heavily on the bass-line, and the rest is just clapping, stomping, and vocals. I think it's an interesting approach and I was pleasantly surprised at the simplicity of it. [Jimmy Fallon has an extra about how they wrote the song, which you can watch here].
mama, i don't believe
The words don’t flow, but my heart it still bleeds |
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With this ballad, we get a wonderful harmonica opening before Scott sings the verse. I really enjoy the harmonica parts because we don't get much of that in many Avett songs or modern music in general. The drums are noticeable but not overly heavy, and Seth's electric guitar solo is amazing. Recently onstage, he has been repeatedly showing his remarkable guitar skills in solos, so to hear them on an album is great.
In Dylan's words, "It’s more of a realization of not everything goes the way you want it to. This life isn’t all about happiness and you don’t get everything you want. You won’t always have a guardian angel that saves you. The song in general isn’t about a perfect road—a yellow brick road that leads to everything—it’s from a time when Scott didn’t really believe that they were ever going to break out or be something more than what they were. There are certain moments in life when it all fades away. Even though there are down points in life, you still have to believe in yourself and keep pushing through."
In Dylan's words, "It’s more of a realization of not everything goes the way you want it to. This life isn’t all about happiness and you don’t get everything you want. You won’t always have a guardian angel that saves you. The song in general isn’t about a perfect road—a yellow brick road that leads to everything—it’s from a time when Scott didn’t really believe that they were ever going to break out or be something more than what they were. There are certain moments in life when it all fades away. Even though there are down points in life, you still have to believe in yourself and keep pushing through."
no hard feelings
For life and its loveliness |
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Every time I hear this song, I want to cry. From the soft instrumentation to Seth's even softer vocals, the wholeness of it is beautiful. It's no secret that the Avett Brothers have a fascination with death and they discuss it quite often in their music. On singing about dark subjects, Seth says, "It’s almost a go-to conversational vehicle for us, and it’s rarely in a morbid sense. We all have experiences with family members coming close to or dying so I think we are close to it in some way". Bob adds, "I’d say it’s the elephant that’s constantly in the room and the monkey that’s on everyone’s back. It doesn’t need to be so cryptic and so dreaded, really". I love this view.
This song is important because the message is something we all need. Like they sang in "Down With the Shine": "There's nothing good because nothing lasts/and all that comes here, it comes here to pass". Everything that has ever happened in my life is going to fade away. All the negative things--the "jealousy", the "hard feelings", the "ugliness"--aren't going to matter; they're not going to last forever. Like Seth says in the song, hard feelings do no good for anyone. We need to let them go. We need to learn that having earthly enemies doesn't solve anything because everything like that will pass away eventually. That's what I take from it.
This song is important because the message is something we all need. Like they sang in "Down With the Shine": "There's nothing good because nothing lasts/and all that comes here, it comes here to pass". Everything that has ever happened in my life is going to fade away. All the negative things--the "jealousy", the "hard feelings", the "ugliness"--aren't going to matter; they're not going to last forever. Like Seth says in the song, hard feelings do no good for anyone. We need to let them go. We need to learn that having earthly enemies doesn't solve anything because everything like that will pass away eventually. That's what I take from it.
smithsonian
Turns out we don't get to know everything |
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When I first heard this in a live recording on YouTube, I didn't really like it. Later, when they played it for NPR, I realized how great it is--especially lyrically. It's full of pretty universal truths about aging and highlights the fact that with many life changes or lessons, we actually have to experience them ourselves to fully and truly understand them. The narrator claims that he's made a discovery and that he "must be the first man that's ever seen this", as if life's hardships and aging don't happen to all of us. Somehow, these middle-aged men are still inherently able to find ways to connect with all kinds and ages of people through outstanding relatable songwriting and storytelling. On a musical note (HAHA jokes), I love the prominence of the fiddle.
you are mine
Where we are is not so far from where we're gonna be |
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This song is different and interesting. It starts off with a little banjo riff, making you think it's another more "traditional" or "classic Avett" song, but then some synthesized notes come in and sound like a grand musical explosion for the chorus. Scott's voice is so pretty and untouched, the piano part is amazing, and the lyrics are super sweet. It's all wonderful. I love the part where Scott talks about how the idea surrounding love is that as we age, our hearts grow "cold", like we become less in love as time goes by. He says he won't argue with that [crazy and misguided, I think] logic, but promises "the snow won't fall on me". That is a beautiful way of saying that he'll never let himself become what every cynic thinks he will. He wants his wife to know that he'll always love her the same, if not more each day. He also mentions that there will always be danger and darkness in certain times, but encourages her to keep going. He will be there for her every step of the way, encouraging her. As long as they keep trying and keep moving, where they're going to be isn't far from where they currently are, like the song says. That is love and it is warm and beautiful.
satan pulls the strings
My heart is in the puppet box and Satan pulls the strings |
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This song was always my least favorite of the new live songs. It was long and drawn out, which usually I'm okay with when it comes to Avett--just not this particular song I guess. It was upbeat, though, and still got the crowd moving, which is great. The studio version is completely different from the live one and many fans have complained about it being "overproduced", but I think it's pretty great. The experimentation with synth sounds in combination with Scott's banjo riff, Tania's fiddling, and the brothers' amazing vocals makes a nice three minute tune rather than the six minute live jam. I love the recurring themes of religion and temptation that the Avett Brothers infuse into their music. As humans, we all believe in something and face some sort of temptation or have our strings "pulled" in different ways, whether it's by Satan or a person or even an object. It's a natural part of life that we can all relate to on many levels. The song ends with a single drum beat that transitions flawlessly into the beginning beat of "True Sadness".
true sadness
Just know the kingdom of God is within you |
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"Adam and Eve must have really done a number on that garden when the apple was finished, leaving behind them a debt made of sadness and damage that can't or won't be replenished" is what they sang at Red Rocks 2015. I don't know why, but they decided to leave that awesome verse out for the album. This song is great because it lets us know that we aren't alone. On the exterior, many people act like everything is fine when it's really not. The Brothers are saying that if we actually take the time to focus on them, we will see that sadness is there and that we all face difficulties whether it's immediately evident to the outside world or not. And as we continue to fight these personal battles, God is still working in us and we have people surrounding us with love. Even if you don't believe in God, there will always be someone there to "shine a light" on you and to be the "real deal in a world of impostors". Let them. We all experience true sadness. We don't have to face it alone.
i wish i was
Well I'm at a loss for what to do, |
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This one was always my favorite from the new live songs. I even got to hear it live at my first (and only, so far) Avett show. And if you haven't read my personal favorite songs list, I mentioned there that it will be played at my wedding. That fact probably still remains. I love all the comparisons he makes with a flame, a song, and a sweater, and then he turns around and says he's not any of those things. At first he wishes he could be all these different things, but he knows he's better than any of it—he's a man in love and he wants that to show. In the chorus he reveals that he isn't sure what to do about his feelings but he does know that he's drawn to her. However, as love song-y as it sounds, he says "I'm sorry" at the very end, and I haven't been able to figure out what in the world that means. Maybe I'm not supposed to. But still. What is he sorry for? This is a great song in any event.
fisher road to hollywood
No, I didn't find what I was looking for |
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Dylan says, "This song is the most personal. It's all about their journey from where they were in 2000 (and even before) to where they are now. The whole album is about the journey that they’ve taken. Finding hope in true sadness—looking at the bright side even though it’s predominately dark."
On the lines about leaving certain people behind after they replaced alcohol with harder drugs, he adds, "A lot of young people can relate to that and some get caught up in substance abuse. You have to have a good head on your shoulders to know when to walk away and it’s okay to say no."
The autobiographical narrative begins with the word "Regret..." and ends with the words "...still I had to go". Even though he recognizes that he's made plenty of bad decisions in his life, he knows that he wouldn't be where he is now if he hadn't taken that path away from Fisher Road. He had to leave to be able to find himself and to truly fulfill his passion. All of the joys he has now wouldn't exist if he had stayed in the same place surrounded by the same events and toxic people.
On the lines about leaving certain people behind after they replaced alcohol with harder drugs, he adds, "A lot of young people can relate to that and some get caught up in substance abuse. You have to have a good head on your shoulders to know when to walk away and it’s okay to say no."
The autobiographical narrative begins with the word "Regret..." and ends with the words "...still I had to go". Even though he recognizes that he's made plenty of bad decisions in his life, he knows that he wouldn't be where he is now if he hadn't taken that path away from Fisher Road. He had to leave to be able to find himself and to truly fulfill his passion. All of the joys he has now wouldn't exist if he had stayed in the same place surrounded by the same events and toxic people.
victims of life
If you live in fear you're already dead |
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When I first heard this one, it reminded me of "Pretty Girl from San Diego" and "At the Beach" morphed. I love the fun, upbeat nature of the tune, I love the truthful message, and I love the guitar skills it took to make this lively song. Seth has always shined, but he is really shining more than ever right now. I don't know enough about that side of music to talk in-depth about it, but I know the guitar part of this song sounds very fast and difficult. I'm always impressed. This song just makes me want to let go of all my worries--and dance. We're all victims.
divorce separation blues
Well now I'm bound to break a promise |
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This song is so personal and raw and perfectly reflects the tough feelings that come with divorce--namely Seth's from his ex-wife Susan in 2013. The yodeling is new for the Brothers's catalog and it lightens the darker mood. Seth said, "I was listening to Doc Watson, as I often do when I need to feel grounded, and one of his yodels was just speaking to me. At that point the divorce was still an emotional reality but I was just far enough away from it to be able to write about it. I don’t know why it came to me in a yodel. I like songs with beautiful melodies but with themes that are very dark. It’s like ice cream on top of blackberry cobbler—it’s cold, and it’s hot, but it’s together."
What a perfect metaphor to explain it.
I have thankfully never experienced divorce, firsthand or otherwise, but I still find myself being able to relate to this song in ways I didn't think I could. I feel Seth's pain, especially at the end when he lets it all out with "I've got the tough education, no celebration, bad communication, worse interpretation, love deprivation, pain allocation, soul devastation, cold desolation, life complication, resuscitation, divorce separation blues". You can tell how close this song is to him personally and how he has felt all of those things. And the line about breaking his promise kills me every time I hear it. This song is amazing and I think many people will be able to connect with it, whether they've been through a divorce or not--and that is even more amazing.
What a perfect metaphor to explain it.
I have thankfully never experienced divorce, firsthand or otherwise, but I still find myself being able to relate to this song in ways I didn't think I could. I feel Seth's pain, especially at the end when he lets it all out with "I've got the tough education, no celebration, bad communication, worse interpretation, love deprivation, pain allocation, soul devastation, cold desolation, life complication, resuscitation, divorce separation blues". You can tell how close this song is to him personally and how he has felt all of those things. And the line about breaking his promise kills me every time I hear it. This song is amazing and I think many people will be able to connect with it, whether they've been through a divorce or not--and that is even more amazing.
may it last
You're the one reason why |
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This song is tremendously string-heavy and just an all-around magnificent close for the whole album. When I listen to it, I feel like I'm sailing on a huge ship through the ocean when a storm comes and huge waves crash all around while I'm safely floating through the air and then everything is calm again and then it all repeats and it's great. That probably doesn't make any sense. At first, it seems like "well this isn't Avett at all" but while it is very different from anything else they've ever done, you can still hear them and it's still authentic Avett Brothers. It's crazy for me to read that people refuse to listen to this song or the others just because "they don't sound like old Avett" or whatever. That's the whole point of this new album--to show what all they are capable of, not to stay the same as they've always been. We should celebrate that by blasting this extraordinary tune.
bonus target tracks:
I wish i was full band version
I was not expecting this at all. The tune that the lyrics are sang in is exactly like the album/live versions, but there's this funky beat put with them in this full band version. Hearing it for the first time is a very weird but refreshing experience, knowing that there has never been anything sounding even remotely close to this in the Avett Brothers's discography before. I can't really explain it, but it's got this nice groove to it in a way, and I saw someone describe it as "be-bopping", which I can totally see. It makes me feel happy and makes me want to dance, which is a huge contrast from the original version, for sure. The lyrics put with the funky sounds almost don't really go together, but at the same time, they do. Like that ice cream on blackberry cobbler that Seth mentioned earlier.
It's wonderfully strange.
It's wonderfully strange.
rejects in the attic
I was born on the outskirts of a dream |
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I was slightly surprised this one didn't make the album because it was always one of my favorites from DCRANGERFAN, but I'm glad it is at least a bonus track. This version is just as beautiful as the live versions with simply Scott and Seth and the rest of the band. As for the meaning, I think it's likely about Seth and his separation from Susan. He says he can't stop thinking about the way she left and that they don't talk the same anymore and that he looks different without her being a part of his life. I don't know what Scott's parts have to do with any of that, but that's all I can think of at the moment. I also like the line about being "opened up just like a dogwood flower". I think that's some really nice imagery and an interesting way of saying that he's not as reserved or closed-off to the world anymore. He's laying all of his experiences out in the open, in his songs. He is putting his heart and soul and everything else he's got into it, for all to see.
For my final thoughts, I want to say that I absolutely love this album. It is amazing both lyrically and instrumentally. It's packed with real emotions and experiences and all the raw honesty we've heard from the Avett Brothers before. That part hasn't changed and I believe it will always remain.
I've seen many complaints from "fans" about the more synthesized electronic-sounding songs, claiming that they are "over-produced" and that the Brothers should "ditch Rick Rubin" because he's like "Satan pulling their strings" and "trapping them in the basement so he can mess up their songs". Umm...?? These people need to calm the heck down.
The Avett Brothers are not under the complete control of anyone, first of all. They welcome Rick Rubin's ideas and they wanted to try new things. He is not forcing them to do anything. Nobody said you had to love every single thing the Brothers do, but you don't have to have so much disdain for the fact that they have gone through changes and want to try something different either. We get it, you'd rather listen to the "old stuff". But if you are a "fan", you should support them through whatever decisions they make. Rick simply gave them suggestions throughout the creative process--which is exactly why they had him there. They trust him. And if the Avett Brothers trust him, so should we.
Now that I've ranted a bit (sorry), I want to share these lovely excerpts from Seth's letter to fans about the album:
I've seen many complaints from "fans" about the more synthesized electronic-sounding songs, claiming that they are "over-produced" and that the Brothers should "ditch Rick Rubin" because he's like "Satan pulling their strings" and "trapping them in the basement so he can mess up their songs". Umm...?? These people need to calm the heck down.
The Avett Brothers are not under the complete control of anyone, first of all. They welcome Rick Rubin's ideas and they wanted to try new things. He is not forcing them to do anything. Nobody said you had to love every single thing the Brothers do, but you don't have to have so much disdain for the fact that they have gone through changes and want to try something different either. We get it, you'd rather listen to the "old stuff". But if you are a "fan", you should support them through whatever decisions they make. Rick simply gave them suggestions throughout the creative process--which is exactly why they had him there. They trust him. And if the Avett Brothers trust him, so should we.
Now that I've ranted a bit (sorry), I want to share these lovely excerpts from Seth's letter to fans about the album:
"True Sadness is like a patchwork quilt, both thematically and stylistically. Wherein a myriad of contrasting fabrics make perfect sense on the same plane, this album draws upon countless resources from its writers and performers. To further propel the expansive color and textural fields of the record, we are blessed to play and perform music with a group of musicians who possess not only great talent, but great interpretive ability. They are an extension of our family and their care for the work at hand (and the project at large) informs a dynamic musical contribution to any piece we proudly give our last name."
"There are moments of undeniable celebration and camaraderie, others of quiet and lonely exhalation. Throughout the album, we stitched together the boldest red and the calmest green, polka dots and stripes, the roughest denim and the smoothest velveteen. They came together because they are the best patterns we have and because each of us brought our own fabric to the quilting frame."
I love the quilt metaphor because it perfectly explains how True Sadness came together and how each of the songs, classic-style and new-style, were able to work together to create this lovely masterpiece about finding real, imperfect joy, even in the midst of all the sadness we endure throughout life.
“You have to come to a place of resolution within the tragedies that are always happening. You don’t ever get to a point in your life, regardless of how well things are going, where everything is good -- where it’s all good. There’s always going to be a duality, and I think we are all more aware of it than ever.”
"It’s not necessarily this ongoing bummer. True sadness isn’t about becoming this dark thing, where you’re just giving up and realizing, ‘You know what? Screw it. Everything sucks.’ It’s more about just sort of accepting, as Bob, our bass player, has very eloquently put it many times, that the human heart is fully capable of experiencing great joy and great sadness simultaneously.” ~Seth
Because of their pure passion and authenticity in connecting with others through their own music in deeply personal and honest ways, I will never stop loving this band of incredible people. They've given me hope and joy and other feelings that I didn't even know I needed. I can't wait for more.
"We're in this until the end." ~Scott
Thanks for reading and I hope True Sadness will stir up as much happiness in you as it did me!
**Also Dylan, thank you for offering your thoughts for this one
~Say Love <3
“You have to come to a place of resolution within the tragedies that are always happening. You don’t ever get to a point in your life, regardless of how well things are going, where everything is good -- where it’s all good. There’s always going to be a duality, and I think we are all more aware of it than ever.”
"It’s not necessarily this ongoing bummer. True sadness isn’t about becoming this dark thing, where you’re just giving up and realizing, ‘You know what? Screw it. Everything sucks.’ It’s more about just sort of accepting, as Bob, our bass player, has very eloquently put it many times, that the human heart is fully capable of experiencing great joy and great sadness simultaneously.” ~Seth
Because of their pure passion and authenticity in connecting with others through their own music in deeply personal and honest ways, I will never stop loving this band of incredible people. They've given me hope and joy and other feelings that I didn't even know I needed. I can't wait for more.
"We're in this until the end." ~Scott
Thanks for reading and I hope True Sadness will stir up as much happiness in you as it did me!
**Also Dylan, thank you for offering your thoughts for this one
~Say Love <3