I and Love and You is the Avett Brothers' 10th full album release, but their first on a major label. This type of jump for an established band can be a difficult change, and not so surprisingly, a theme of letting go and adjusting is woven throughout their latest record. I and Love and You's title track also happens to be one of its strongest. In it, the Avetts tell us their bags are packed and they are ready to leave, instructing us to ""inform the ones that need to know."" Who are these ones? Perhaps the old fans they are hoping will follow them to a major label, or maybe the new ones they are hoping to find there.
Whomever this song is directed at, it is in many ways the album's standout. The gravelly, rural twang in the lead singer's voice mixed with the rising piano chords creates a stirring blend of trepidation and fatigue. When the Avetts lean more toward country rather than straight pop, both brothers are able to coax more feeling and range out of their vocals. However, as lovely as the string and piano arrangement in this piece are, they are betrayed more than a few times by trite, simplistic lyrics.
How many times have we heard about the difficulty of telling someone you love them? Contrary to what the Avetts believe, breaking this sentiment apart into three simple words does not make it any more original.
Their lyric choice goes on to hurt them again in ""And It Spread,"" in which Avett recalls how his lover ""shot my arm full of love and it spread into the world."" Luckily, the soaring cello in the arrangement saves the piece from becoming a victim of its treacly sentiment. The masterful string arrangement helps make it one of the only noncountry songs that really succeeds on the album. ""Tin Man"" and ""It Goes On and On,"" both of which lean toward a mainstream rock/pop feel, seem like fillers with their predictable chord progressions and uninspired melodies.
Although the Avetts did push back their release date to release ""the album in its best form possible,"" it's still easy to wonder if I and Love and You could have benefitted from further editing and adjustment. The standout tracks like ""Laundry Room"" are filled with such inventive harmonies, and in this case a skillful banjo and fiddle jam, that it's all the more unfortunate that several tracks barely manage to make an imprint.
This sense of an uneasy balance pervades I and Love and You.
The duo's concerns about future success and leaving the past behind is especially evident on ""Ten Thousand Words."" Avett sings, ""And after we are are through / 10 years in making it to be the most glorious of debuts / And they'll be quick to point out our shortcomings and how the experts have all had their doubts."" This is certainly a very strong major label debut, but it would have served the Avett Brothers far better if they had dropped the pop filler and focused more on writing the heartfelt folk-country songs they are known for. The Avett Brothers have the tools to prove those experts wrong, and here's to hoping they begin to do it.
