Magpie and the Dandelion [LP]

by The Avett Brothers

Overview

Recorded at the same sessions that produced 2012's The Carpenter, 2013's Magpie and the Dandelion doesn't play like leftovers, which is to the credit of both the Avett Brothers and their producer Rick Rubin. Magpie and the Dandelion consciously evokes past Americana, stretching back beyond the Band but anchored there, often incorporating a harder-rocking edge reminiscent of former Rubin patrons Black Crowes. The key to appreciating the Avett Brothers is to realize they see themselves as heirs to this tradition, happy to accentuate their rustic roots with banjos and weary harmonies because they suggest authenticity. Where their real strength lies is not in instrumental virtuosity or song (although many of the tunes here are sturdy enough) but rather in feel: they capture an indistinct past where guitars are an enduring virtue. Perhaps the Avetts are best when they run a little bit loose and ragged, letting the tempos push a little bit hard, allowing their harmonies to clash and happy to have their loose ends remain untied. Often, this means that the ballads are just a shade too tidy -- they're mannered in a way almost none of the rest of the record is -- but still Magpie and the Dandelion underscores how the appeal of the Avett Brothers remains in their indebtedness to the past without being bogged down by its legacy. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	10/15/2013
Label:	American Recordings
UPC:	0602537535651

Tracks

1. Open Ended Life
2. Morning Song
3. Never Been Alive
4. Another is Waiting
5. Bring Your Love To Me
6. Good To You
7. Apart From Me
8. Skin and Bones
9. Souls Like the Wheels
10. Vanity
11. The Clearness is Gone

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The Avett Brothers   Primary Artist
Chad Smith   Drums
G. Love   Harmonica
Lenny Castro   Percussion
Mary Ellen Bush   Vocals
Steve Nistor   Drums
Benmont Tench   Organ
Tania Elizabeth   Fiddle
Jessica Lea Mayfield   Vocals
Jacob Edwards   Drums,Vocals
Jim Avett   Vocals
Aaron Wood   Vocals
Hattie Webb   Vocals
Stephanie Mirabelli   Vocals
Aaron Woody Wood   Vocals
Charlotte Webb   Vocals
Sarah Avett   Vocals
Susan Kay Avett   Vocals
The Haas Family   Vocals

Technical Credits

Craig Welsch   Engineer
Tucker Martine   Engineer
Scott Avett   Composer
Buckley Miller   Engineer
The Avett Brothers   Composer
Timothy Seth Avett   Composer
Seth Avett   Composer
Douglas Williams   Mixing,Engineer
Darren Heelis   Engineer
Bob Crawford   Composer
Scott Yancey Avett   Composer
Robert William Crawford Jr.   Composer