The Avett Brothers

The Avett Brothers’ diversity of sound runs nearly the entire gamut of American roots music, delivering songs that delve into—and often combine—bluegrass, folk, rock ‘n’ roll, blues, and country, all with classic pop sensibilities. Originally a side project while brothers Seth and Scott focused on their rock band, Nemo, The Avett Brothers eventually emerged as the long-term operation when Nemo broke up in 2000. Their early recordings are indicative of the original ramshackle nature of the project—“November Blue,” from their 2002 album, Country Was, sounds as organic and loose as a jug band, with ragged honky-tonk piano and background noises popping up everywhere. Released in 2004, Mignonette leaned heavily on the bluegrass and upped the production quality, but their major-label debut, 2009’s I and Love and You—the beginning of their working relationship with superstar producer Rick Rubin—signaled a major shift in the band’s sound, giving it some polish and adding a new level of intricacy to their earthy arrangements (see the title track’s lush orchestral touch). They’ve had Rubin behind the boards on four of their full-lengths since, and 2012’s The Carpenter earned them a Grammy for Best Americana Album. In 2019, they explored sounds as seemingly separate as stadium-sized rock (“Bleeding White”) and ‘60s-inspired folk-pop with spoken word elements (“Tell the Truth”) on the political Closer Than Together.