Did Rick Rubin kill the Avett Brothers?

While painting my dining room today, I decided to finally give a serious listen to the new Avett Bros album I and Love and You. I had casually listened to parts of it before, and realized it was different, but did not realize how much this album departed from their previous ventures.

This album was produced by Rick Rubin, the co-head of Columbia Records. While he is well known as the man who gave you Walk This Way, Johnny Cash's The Man Comes Around, and License to Ill, this album will not be one that stands the test of time. Rubin is well known for helping artists grow and challenge themselves. Unfortunately, in this process the Avett Brothers lost themselves.

The title track I and Love and You is by far the highlight of the album. The song is dominated by the piano and spells out the changes that are occurring as a band. The transition from NC to NY, the growth and maturation as a band as well as individuals is evident and appreciated. Unfortunately, it is all down hill from there. The first quarter of the album continues slowly, and features the other highlight of the album, Head Full of Doubt, Road Full of Promise. This is a well composed song, that fills the ears, cresting high in a sea of mediocrity. Most of the songs on the album are sparse and dominated by piano. They end up sounding too polished and lacking the noise and dirtiness that the Avett Bros have become known for. This causes most of the album to fall flat and become indistinguishable from any other top forty adult contemporary music that Casey Casem may be pushing. I feel like I might hear it on a Saturday morning right after Casey reads a touching letter where somebody dedicate's Wind beneath my wing to their mom.

Their attempts at the more traditional raucus sound that their fans have grown to love fail. The Perfect Space manages to bring a little life and hope only to have it crushed by songs such as Kick Drum Heart. Listening to this song is a struggle at best. Unfortunately it only gets worse with Tin Man, and Slight Figure of Speech. The production is too crisp and leaves the listener feeling like the band is simply going through the motions (something they could have never been accused of in previous albums).

Overall, the Avett Brothers' attempt at big label success has only crushed the spirit and the fun and sincerity that managed to eminate through their music. Like many bands before them, success may be the undoing of the Avett Brothers. I understand the need to grow as artists, but not at the expense of the essence of the band. Rick Rubin should know better. Before you know it, he will have the Avett Brothers doing a slayer cover before completely disappearing.