Avett Brothers CAROLINA JUBILEE

Personnel: Seth Avett (vocals, guitar, kazoo, piano, percussion); Scott Avett (vocals, banjo, percussion); Bob Crawford (vocals).
Recording information: Concord, NC; Marshville, NC.
The Avett Brothers play a mixture of country, folk, and bluegrass with an infectious sense of enthusiasm. Their performances sometimes sound unpolished, and occasionally sound off-key, but they put so much spirit into their music that the imperfections are engaging instead of off-putting. They usually sound like they're really into their songs, whether they're hollering and stomping their feet, or taking a moment to reflect on life. Their lyrics generally ain't bad, either, and the Avett Brothers are particularly adept at expressing good-natured skepticism, whether they're rejecting the need for a middleman between themselves and God without disrespecting preachers ("Me and God"), or noting the differences between movie romance and loving someone in real life ("Now in the movies they make it look so perfect/And in the background they're always playin' the right song/And in the ending there's always a resolution/But real life is more than just two hours long"). "Love Like the Movies" also includes the sound of a film projector (or something that resembles it), which serves as another reminder that just because the Avett Brothers love old-time music doesn't mean they do everything by the book. So whether they're performing a song about a "Pretty Girl from Raleigh," a "Pretty Girl from Locust," or "Pretty Girl from Annapolis," (if they were the Beach Boys, they probably would have recorded a song for each city in California), they're worth a listen. ~ Todd Kristel

• Format: CD
• Genre: Pop