Album Review: The Avett Brothers - Magpie And The Dandelion

North Carolinian string band The Avett Brothers forged their reputation releasing incredible albums on shoestring budgets, but these days they're operating on a whole new plane. Their eighth studio album Magpie And The Dandelion is their third in a row with renowned producer Rick Rubin, and sometimes when studio flourishes kick in you have to wonder whether such polish could actually be detrimental (like when Guided By Voices went major label). As with GBV, however, the songwriting strengths of the actual Avett brothers – Seth (vocals/guitar/piano) and Scott (vocals/banjo/guitar) – save the day, their complementary styles shining through the sheen like a beacon.

Magpie... was written and recorded during the same sessions as its Grammy-nominated predecessor The Carpenter (2012), and purportedly carries a theme of “youthful wonder”, explaining the airy feel of tracks such as Never Been Alive, Bring Your Love To Me and Good To You (although this suits the brothers' sincere and forthright nature). Catchy single Another Is Waiting and upbeat opener Open Ended Life both favour an expansive band sound, but the tempo drops as the album meanders into its second half. Their soulful intimacy and potent familial harmonies remain, but this run of solemn ballads badly misses the grit of yore.

The Avett Brothers are steadfastly clinging to the traits which made albums like 2007's Emotionalism so special, but as they quest for mainstream acceptance you get the feeling that their grip may be slowly slipping.