The Avett Brothers started as a brother duo by the names Scott and Seth and over time expanded to include other official members like Bob Crawford and Joe Kwon. According to the band’s website, “The Avett Brothers joined together to present songs about experiences that they as humans have known to humans who know what they mean.”
The group will be performing at Columbia’s annual Roots N Blues N BBQ festival on Sept. 28 at 9:15 p.m. The festival is featuring a wide variety of bands and artists that are expected to draw in quite a crowd this year.
To prepare for the festival, here’s a preview on the Avett Brothers’ top five most played on Spotify that shows just how artistic and gracefully this band plays and writes their music.
####1. I And Love And You####
“I And Love And You” comes in at the number one slot on Spotify for the Avett Brothers. This song, released back in 2009, remains a favorite today among fans for good reason. The song begins with a struggle of leaving home and how often life feels like we are “one foot in and one foot back.” The lyrics are a bit confusing on if the singer is referring to a woman in the song or not or talking about the place with his repetitive referencing of “Brooklyn.” With either meaning, the song is beautiful with a calming melody, making it a good song to study to.
####2. Ain’t No Man####
“Ain’t No Man” holds the number two spot and is a much more recent song, coming from the group’s newest album, _True Sadness_, in 2016. This song has a much faster, happier beat than “I And Love And You.” This song has a beat and rhythm that makes you want to get up from your desk and start moving around. The lyrics discuss relying on other people or letting somebody hold you back. “Ain’t No Man” ended up being my favorite on this top five list.
####3. I Wish I Was####
Next up on our list is number three: “I Wish I Was.” This song was also written for the 2016 _True Sadness_ album. The lyrics are metaphorical as the singer talks about a multitude of things he wishes he could be such as a “flame dancing in a candle.” This song has an old-time feel to it with its simplicity in the acoustics and words. The Avett Brothers once again convey their message in a way that sounds quite beautiful.
####4. No Hard Feelings####
Spotify’s fourth spot for the Avett Brothers is “No Hard Feelings,” coming from the _True Sadness_ album. The first time I heard this song, all I could picture was a dramatic coming-of-age movie as a kid leaves home for the first time with this song playing in the background. The lyrics are special too, with the main concept being that at the end of the day, it’s best not to hold onto any hard feelings in life because they won’t benefit you in anyway.
####5. Famous Flower of Manhattan####
Lastly, ranked at number five is “Famous Flower of Manhattan.” This song is my least favorite of the five simply because the vocals did not sound as soothing as the previous four. That being said, the lyrics are incredibly unique. This is shown by The Avett Brothers using a flower to describe a girl that is trapped in busy city life and how they want her to experience the country.
Every song seems to have an underlying theme of sharing important life stories and messages with the audience. The Avett Brothers do an incredible job of accomplishing this in such poetic ways. I am eager and hopeful that the live performances will live up to the high standards set from their soundtrack recordings.
_Edited by Alexandra Sharp | asharp@themaneater.com_
