This year’s show found the boys between the success of 2009′s major label debut (damn, has it been that long?), and their not-yet-detailed upcoming follow up.  As with most bands touring in between albums, the show proved a great chance for old fans to hear the full gamut of the band’s back catalogue.  After all, when your’e not touring what’s new, you’re most likely touring what’s best and this show was certainly no exception.  While I and Love and You and Emotionalism comprised the bulk of the setlist, there were plenty of old favorites including a strong showing from Four Thieves Gone, Migonette, Carolina Jubilee, and even a “November Blue” showing from the bands debut Country Was.

I would be remiss to say that I wasn’t thinking “these guys would kill in a small room” throughout the show, but hey, that’s the breaks.  A band that’s this good for this long is bound to grow, and it was only a matter of time before their act took it to the big stage.  While there may be some validity in saying that the more intimate rooms and concert halls would better suit their sound, one thing is for sure  - the Avett Brothers are going to play their faces off no matter the venue.  Between Seth’s Elvis-esque dance moves, the tightest harmonies you’ve ever heard, plenty of stellar hits, peaks and valleys of energy and the cohesion that only comes from a veteran band, an Avett Brothers show is one heck of a good time. The fact of the matter is, I can whine all I want about the size of the venue, but if these guys played the National Mall on the 4th of July you’d find me fighting through the crowds and singing along.  If anyone is going to make it big, I’m glad it’s these guys!

We realize that listening to digitally remastered music through a computer speaker may seem a bit ridiculous, but at least it’s a good excuse to rock some good tunes.

Watch two preview videos for the album below, then listen to two remastered tracks here and here, then head over here to get all the details on the full album’s May 22nd release.

One of the most adorable videos you will ever see – featuring Paul, Linda and Martha.

Paul briefly talks about the inspiration for and the making of RAM.

Trampled By Turtles covers Arcade Fire

The album opens with a rather intense string-induced “fright fest” called “Replicate” that’s part-Andrew Bird, part-David Byrne but serves as a bizarre and beautiful opener. Track numero dos, “Deconstruction”, is the album’s first single and is a focused and upbeat tune that raises you up but sort of falls apart with with the creepy piano outro. For my money, the light doesn’t fill the room until almost two minutes into the third track “Lenslife” which takes the orchestral pop back to more familiar territory, a la 2008′s Reservoir. A great tune that certainly flows with glimmering ripples and crashing waves. “Tightrope” is a foot-stomper for the internet age and just like the lyrics – it could all come crashing down at any moment. Pretty heavy stuff but what do you expect from a song that may or may not have a harp in it? Once the album gets going it’s actually quite fun. Fanfarlo succeeds in making themes of science and extinction seem fun and quirky. Swedish frontman Simon Balthazar manages to keep an element of hope and youthful energy in a genre that historically includes frontmen who look like Edward Scissorhands or Max Headroom.

Rooms Filled With Light is a little more “out there” than the band’s debut 2008 record Reservoir but the unconventional spirit combined with an electronic and orchestral “double-threat” create a very atmospheric record that would make even Brian Eno proud. They mix elements of folk, indie rock and post-punk using a variety of instruments including the trumpet, violin, mandolin and glockenspiel. A lot of potential combinations there and most of them come together nicely. It’s not the best album of the year but if you’re partial to bands like Belle & Sebastian or Arcade Fire you will fit right in. There’s a depth to the album that I overlooked the first few times but after a few more whirls (and a new set of headphones) I’ve finally seen the light.

Here are live sessions of two great tracks from Rooms Filled With Light.

Well, if you haven’t figured this out by now, Neil Young is going to do pretty much whatever he wants to do, and for the most part he is going to do it well.  I admittedly was a bit baffled as to how the “grade school” jams were going to work out, but after checking out The Horse’s take on one of the first songs I ever heard “Oh Susannah” I have to say I am quite intrigued.  When it comes to standards, it’s all about the performance and the arrangement and Neil and the Horse have done a good job with both.

Check out the band as they find their groove on  “Oh Susannah” like you’ve never heard it before in the player below and get amped for Americana, due out June 5th.

That said, when I heard the sad news from Levon’s family I knew I had to write this post, and wanted to somehow, someway make it something more than the obligatory RIP Levon Helm, “Heart and Soul of The Band” blog post.  I don’t know Levon Helm personally, and am not going to sit here and pretend that his passing is going to leave some sort of void in my life, I will leave that to the undoubtedly large number of friends and family that are truly devastated by his passing.  My connection to Levon Helm was his music, and lucky for me that isn’t going anywhere.

The act that Levon’s name will forever be most associated with is of course The Band, a group who despite only having one American member, may very well be the best example of an “Americana” act that we have ever heard.  The lone American member, no doubt responsible for The Band attaining the oft-mistaken distinction as “The Greatest American Band” was of course Levon Helm.  The Band had the luxury of an embarrassment of riches when it comes to vocal talent, but Levon’s twangy, soulful, off-kilter voice stood front and center.  While there has been a great deal of controversy over the years about who wrote what in The Band’s catalogue, Levon’s role as “Band Leader” seems uncontested.  From the early days as the Honkeys, to the Hawks’ turn as Dylan’s electric backing band to his late career ramblin’ renaissance, Levon sat perched behind his drum kit leading the way.

From a musicianship standpoint, Levon Helm had it all – he was one of the most technically proficient drummers I have ever heard, his voice was so authentic you could pick it out from a mile away, and he was able to carve out a unique style and sound he could truly call his own.  By all accounts, Levon Helm was every bit the man that he was a musician; making his passing that much more sad for those he held close.  While the people who knew him well continue to mourn his loss, I will say a little prayer for the Helm family and drop the needle on some of my favorite records, courtesy of the man himself.  Thanks for the memories Levon, ramble on my friend…..

From The Ramble at the Ryman

With Garth Hudson mid 70s

With The Band at Big Pink

A man that got his start singing in small NYC clubs, it didn’t take long before his soulful voice and James Brown-esque moves were noticed and his career was well on it’s way. Although he began with a funk sound playing with bands like Kool and the Gang, his current album is more soulful Motown. Song’s like “Wish You Were Here” are belted out with all the pain and suffering of Otis Redding’s “You Don’t Miss Your Water.” Not only is this a great soul album with all the bells and whistles of a full band, stellar back up singers and a charismatic front man, but it’s stacked with great tunes. If you aren’t hooked after the first three songs then you might not be paying attention. The title track is a gritty and painful employing all the instruments Fields has at his disposal, “I Still Got It,” makes you want to whole heartedly agree and “You’re The Kind of Girl” is so damn catchy it would have easily been a chart topper back in the 60′s. Unfortunately, there isn’t really a place for this kind of music on today’s radio, but if you’ve turned on the radio lately (at least in my area) they aren’t exactly setting the standard. Rolling Stones cover “Moonlight Mile,” has all the echoes of 70′s rock, but when given the Fields’ treatment becomes smooth, aching and slightly groovy. There are no gimmicks here – no samples, no rappers, and no hooks sung by modern artists trying to force the album to be hip enough to appeal to young audiences. Just straight forward soul music as it should be written and the result is extremely genuine and heartfelt. Faithful Man proves what I’ve always thought, which is that it can be any genre of music from doo-wop to punk, but if it’s good then it transcends time. Good music should be as good tomorrow as it was today, and this right here is good music. Nice work Mr. Fields.

Watch Lee and the band crush it below.

Also the official music video for “You’re The Kind of Girl.”

After several sold-out and well-received dates across Europe, The Alabama Shakes returned to the US for another tour of the Eastern Seaboard before returning to Europe for more sold out shows.  As fortune would have it, they would be playing The Cat’s Cradle in Carrboro, NC, a short 3 hour drive through south Virginia and North Carolina from my Virginia Beach home. Having never seen a show at Cat’s Cradle, I had to make the trip to see what these guys and girl were all about.  I arrived at the Cat’s Cradle in time to catch the opener, Lee Bains III and The Glory Fires.  A four-piece playing out of Alabama, Lee Bains III and the Glory Fires ripped through several songs from their first LP, There Is A Bomb In Gilead, with unbridled vigor. A clear Southern rock influence permeated the band’s sound, but you can tell there was some Social Distortion being mixed in with Lynyrd Skynyrd as these guys came up.  On several occasions, they needed a few moments between songs to get on the same page, but as a young band that is to be expected.  Looking past some of the rough edges, you can certainly hear the potential in this talented group.

Tour De Force Brittany Howard

Big Thank You to Matthys du Toit and Virginia Terry For the Photos!

Lee Bains III & the Glory Fires