The Carpenter by The Avett Brothers

The Carpenter by The Avett Brothers

The Avett Brothers’ mostly new album, The Carpenter, is a much sadder affair than the Avett boys have done in the past, with a lot more emphasis on life, death, and meaning, considerably less energy, and noticeable lack of the Avett Brothers’ usual fun and optimism.

                  This does not by any means make it a bad album. It does make it, at least at times, an incredibly boring one.

                  “The Once and Future Carpenter,” the first song on the album, is insanely depressing while still managing an attempt at being uplifting. This is a theme that carries throughout the album; it always sounds like the lead singer is trying to convince himself that he isn’t actually as sad as he feels. “If I live the life I’m given / I won’t be scared to die.”

                  “Live and Die” is in a similar, if slightly happier, vein. The Kermit the Frog-esque banjo line that plays throughout gives it a kind of plucky, heartfelt vibe from the start, a warm feeling which is immediately curb stomped into non-being by Scott Avett’s depressing ****ing voice. And the crazy thing is, the song is still really, really good.

                  The next three songs irritate me. “Winter in my Heart” is cheesy, like “The Ballad of Love and Hate,” only unlike the same, it’s uninteresting. “Pretty Girl From Michigan” sounds old and unoriginal, and while I like “I Never Knew You,” it’s also one of the few instances where Scott Avett’s voice (or is it Seth Avett? I get them confused.) truly annoys me.

                  “February Seven,” “Through My Prayers,” and “A Father’s First Spring” are all very similar in that they are slow songs with a lot of beautiful guitar, violin, and banjo work going on in the background, but again, sad. I don’t know how anyone could ever listen to this album all the way through and not inflict bodily harm on themselves. If you’ve still managed not to kill yourself, “Down With the Shine” and “Paul Newman Vs. The Demons” brings back some of that old Avett flavor, albeit in slightly different ways, and doesn’t quite manage to resurrect it fully. On the other hand, the brutally short “Geraldine” is exactly the kind of song I was originally looking forward to this album so much for. It has an excellent amount of energy and a fairly simple chord pattern that the band just goes crazy with.

                  The album concludes with “Life,” and I don’t think it could have been given a better name. After having almost an entire album deal directly with the preparation for, getting closer to, and the effects of death, this song finally manages some of that uplifting spirit that a few of that first songs tried and failed for. Damned if I know how it does it, because it’s still by all accounts a quiet, sad song. If I had to guess, I’d say that it sounds less like someone struggling to understand and accept death, and more like someone who’s finally moved on and is able to live his life.

                  Like I said, the album is not incredible. It breaks almost no new ground, in my opinion, and there are lots of songs that just plain annoy me, and the ones that don’t, for the most part, just depress me. Even so, I liked most of this album, and there are a few songs I’d even say that I love. If you’re an Avett fan expecting more loud, awesome craziness, stick to the older stuff. But if you’re in a sad or introspective mood, or even if you’re not, you might enjoy hearing someone else coming to terms with a lot of the things you’re probably thinking right now. There’s no doubt at all that this is an intensely personal album.

                  That being said, please, Avett Brothers, I beg you. On the next album, bring back the crazy

                                                                              6.2 / 10 
Ryan S. Morris