Album Review: "The Third Gleam" by the Avett Brothers

 

By Michael Momper

The mid-2000s saw an explosion of folk music that catapulted bands like the Avett Brothers and Mumford and Sons into sudden stardom. Perhaps it was an act of rebellion against the increasingly polished and inhuman production of pop songs at the time (still a problem today, certainly) or perhaps it was the refreshing reintroduction of extremely honest and vulnerable songwriting to alternative radio. For me, it was a little bit of both factors. But certainly, a lot of the country was mesmerized by groups like this and their staying power has been impressive.

At their best, the Avett Brothers' music is so earnest and pure that it is reminiscent of a high alpine meadow or a clear Colorado stream. These features in nature, through their beauty and innocence, can remind a person of the touch-points between man and the transcendent, ideas very overtly covered by the spiritual lyricism all throughout the Avett's catalog. I would contend that this is a group at their best when their instruments are slightly stripped down, but also slightly ragged, as their Appalachian roots were on full display for so many albums in their early career. These albums had classic songs such as "Murder in the City", "Salvation Song", "Souls Like the Wheels", "Distraction #74" and others, but also contained the wild energy that has made this group such a popular live act. Their 2019 album, Closer Than Together, lost some of that magic with an extremely polished sound, and less lyrical focus on the themes that the Avett Brothers deliver with such purity: family, faith, and humility.

The Third Gleam is an attempt to strip things back to basics for the most part, as all of the arrangements are simply guitar, banjo, upright bass and their trademark vocal harmonies. This is most certainly the weakest of the Gleam series, as the first two had such lyrical brilliance and beauty that they still contain many classics often requested at live shows. However, there are still bright spots within this effort. Though you cannot perfectly predict who wrote the song based on who sings lead vocals with this band, this is a largely Scott-led effort, and there are some gems without a doubt. "Victory" is what we've come to expect from their stripped-down albums, as it is gorgeously harmonized and melodically arranged with uplifting lyrics as usual. "Untitled #4", "Back into the Light" and "Prison to Heaven" are also prime examples of what makes the Avett Brothers a unique and popular act, as they are full of simplicity in their delivery but also quite insightful.

What this album misses, however, is some bit of an energetic spark. The vocal harmonies are not as frequent as in the other albums in the Gleam series, and the banjo isn't quite as plucky or prominent as it was in the first decade of their career. It leaves this album, at times, feeling tired rather than simply mature, and also even boring at times. Both Seth-led songs are overly simplistic and even a little cringy in their over-abundant earnestness. His second song, "Women Like You" is a downright must-skip for me with every listen, and unfortunately suffers from some of the same symptoms I heard from him in Closer Than Together. The song is uninteresting and tiresome, but more than anything it is painstakingly unoriginal. "I thought they didn't make women like you anymore". I could swear I've heard this sentiment in plenty of other songs, and in many bland romantic movies as well.

Naturally, because this is sort of a "back-to-basics" effort for the Avett Brothers, there are some shining moments that remind us why we love them. It certainly has enough strong efforts to merit a listen. However, I am left wanting more as I think about the lackluster spots in the album. In the future, I hope to see more of their insightful lyricism but coupled with their Appalachian energy and melodic vocal delivery on full display.

Rating: 60/100