Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Optimism opens the door to great things.

Infrastructure week. at last.

Black Jesus loves a paper trail.

A lot of Dems talk about what the media tells them to talk about. Not helpful.

Insiders who complain to politico: please report to the white house office of shut the fuck up.

They’re not red states to be hated; they are voter suppression states to be fixed.

Within six months Twitter will be fully self-driving.

Some judge needs to shut this circus down soon.

Wow, I can’t imagine what it was like to comment in morse code.

Tick tock motherfuckers!

Accused of treason; bitches about the ratings. I am in awe.

I’d hate to be the candidate who lost to this guy.

This fight is for everything.

Come on, media. you have one job. start doing it.

Nancy smash is sick of your bullshit.

Their freedom requires your slavery.

Putin must be throwing ketchup at the walls.

Let’s delete this post and never speak of this again.

We are aware of all internet traditions.

The next time the wall street journal editorial board speaks the truth will be the first.

Since when do we limit our critiques to things we could do better ourselves?

Let me eat cake. The rest of you could stand to lose some weight, frankly.

The republican caucus is already covering themselves with something, and it’s not glory.

You can’t love your country only when you win.

You are here: Home / Music / Murder in the City

Murder in the City

by | 51 Comments

This post is in: 

I saw the Avett Brothers earlier this year. Best show I’ve ever seen, hands down. One great thing about the show was the demographic spread. I was grabbing a beer before they came on and there was a guy behind me with his three-year-old. There were other kids there, too, and a number of retirees. Lots of hippies and college kids, naturally. If you ever get a chance to see them, you should.

This is an older tune, but still one of my favorites.

They’re one of those bands whose albums are so good that you’re a little surprised by just how much more amazing they are live.

Reader Interactions

51Comments

  3. 3.

    Strandedvandal

    How are we supposed to flame you if you post innocuous stuff like this? This Avett Brothers of which you speak, they are some covert Right Winger band right?

  6. 6.

    Kilkee

    They are appearing, in the not too distant future, with the very lovely Ms. Brandi Carlile, who is likewise a much more stunning live performer than her (quite good) albums would suggest.

  9. 9.

    Montysano

    @brendancalling:

    the faux sensitivity and hipster beards rub me the wrong way, and the lyrics are just annoying.

    Yeah….. facial hair…. that’s the proper standard by which to evaluate music.

    I recently discovered the Avetts through my 22 year old son. “Emotionalism” is excellent. “I And Love And You”, produced by Rick Rubin, is even better. Great melodies and lyrics. They’re playing a Halloween show at the Ryman, 100 miles up the road, but it’s sold out. Tickets are going for $200.00. Maybe next time….

    Here’s their NPR Tiny Desk concert.

  14. 14.

    john b

    being from NC, i’ve seen them multiple times and was more annoyed by their shows each time i saw them — to the point of not really wanting to see them again. and it’s not their performances (which are usually quite good). it’s their crowds. they’re the most obnoxious, sing-at-the-top-of-your-lungs crowd i’ve witnessed (and i’ve been to a lot of shows). also, the avetts major label debut was pretty lame imo. but their first few albums are good (mignonette, four thieves gone, emotionalism) EXCEPT whenever that old producer of theirs decides to get in on the action. he’s no good.

    sidenote: i used to be in the same cello section as their cellist in a youth sympony 15ish years ago.

  15. 15.

    Montysano

    @R-Jud:

    My favorite beards ‘n’ sensitivity band is still Fleet Foxes, tho.

    Yeah, but where have they disappeared to? Probably sweating the curse of the sophomore album.

    @Kilkee:

    the very lovely Ms. Brandi Carlile, who is likewise a much more stunning live performer

    Thanks for the heads-up. I listened to a couple of her songs; me likey. A very comely lass also, too.

    @Gus:

    Must be a generational thing. I don’t care for the Avett Brothers, but my wife loves them.

    Their earlier albums, which are much more bluegrass-y, don’t do as much for me. Their hardcore fans complain that Rubin overproduced their latest album, but to my ear, he just made them more interesting.

  16. 16.

    UlyssesUnbound

    Not only the best show I’ve seen musically, but the energy that they put out–and that the crowd exhibited–was phenomenal. Its not often that a band gets a bunch of 5 year old to 80 year old white guys to explode in enthusiasm.

  17. 17.

    brendancalling

    @Montysano:

    um yeah. I pretty much explained in the very next paragraph what my musical tastes are.

    the fact that they have hipster beards has nothing to do with my dislike of their music (which i dislike), although it does have the same effect on me that Led Zepplin album covers had on Joe Strummer.

  18. 18.

    patroclus

    The video was cool, but I’m not gonna go to one of their concerts until I know exactly where they stand on the Cordoba Center, fundamental marriage rights and whether they deserve equal protection of the law, whether the 14th amendment should be repealed, whether more economic stimulus is needed, whether we are even going to pass a climate change bill or an immigration bill and why they thing Republicans lie and smear all the bloody time.

  20. 20.

    john b

    and anyway, as i often do when mentions of bon iver or the avett bros. come up: my favorite band out of NC has to be megafaun. and even though they migrated from wisconsin, they have a much more authentic blending of bluegrass/country/blues sounds than the avett brothers ever have.

  22. 22.

    R-Jud

    @Montysano:

    Yeah, but where have they disappeared to? Probably sweating the curse of the sophomore album.

    Yeah, it’s been postponed a few times now. The lead singer has been doing some solo stuff, touring with Joanna Newsom, I believe.

  25. 25.

    mistermix

    Hmm, putting this and the National together, I wonder if you like the Mountain Goats. Or perhaps Midlake?

  26. 26.

    Hawes

    Gotta be my favorite Avett Bros song. One of the best songs ever about familial love, because – let’s face it – familial resentment is more typical song fodder.

  28. 28.

    JenJen

    First, The National, and now, the Avett Brothers?

    Screw politics, because damn, New Mr. Front Pager has some excellent taste in music.

  30. 30.

    master c

    Yeah, what is this? Are you trying to win us over with your hipness?
    I’m an old new waver so I dont get the beards, but I like “My heart like a kick-drum” a lot.

  31. 31.

    Stillwater

    Damn dude, you are a reasonable conservative.

    I agree about the Avetts: amazing live shows. Saw them first at the Telluride Bluegrass Fest. They were fiesty. We called their music thrash-grass: bluegrass roots with some angry punk thrown in. They’ve gotten better since then.

  32. 32.

    wes g

    they just toured with Thao with the Get down Stay Down, a band that i think is absolutely amazing. Wish i could’ve been to those shows..

  33. 33.

    Stuck in the Funhouse

    Man,. just when this blog is giving heartburn something wonderful comes along to make it all worthwhile. Have just been listening to these guys songs on Youtube and simply love their music, that I had not heard of. Thank you Mr. Kain.

  34. 34.

    Toast

    The Avett’s strike me as the type of group you either love or hate

    If the song in that video is indicative of their style, I vote for indifference with a dash of boredom.

  35. 35.

    JGabriel

    Gus:

    Must be a generational thing. I don’t care for the Avett Brothers, but my wife loves them.

    So … does that mean you’re old enough to be her dad, or she’s old enough to be your mom?

    Or is there some other meaning of generational that I’m missing here?

    .

  37. 37.

    Stuck in the Funhouse

    @Toast: It’s not indicative of their style. Have listened to several others just now, and they strike me as a young semi like The Band, or that type of indefinable music that is a little bit of several styles. The lead singer even occasionally hits a note that sounds eerily like Levon Helm.

  38. 38.

    russell

    “Its not often that a band gets a bunch of 5 year old to 80 year old white guys to explode in enthusiasm.”

    Went to a Pink Martini show last winter with a group of friends ranging in age from 8 to about 85.

    In the row in front of us was two parents and their three year old daughter. Pink Martini was the daughter’s favorite band.

    Not dinging the Avett’s, just sharing the love.

    And not for nothing, but The Band played ass-kicking old-school rural hillbilly white boy R&B. They cut their teeth with Ronnie Hawkins, then on Dylan’s electric tour.

    The Avetts are all well and good, but The Band they are not.

    Just saying.

  39. 39.

    Irony Abounds

    the very lovely Ms. Brandi Carlile, who is likewise a much more stunning live performer

    Thanks for the heads-up. I listened to a couple of her songs; me likey. A very comely lass also, too.

    Agree on both counts, however, unfortunately (if you’re a guy) she’s only interested in other comely lasses.

    I saw her live with A Fine Frenzy (Alison Sudol), another very comely lass, who, as far as I know, is interested in lads.

  41. 41.

    E.D. Kain

    Glad there’s some other Avett founds round these parts. Can’t understand the haters, though. Then again, I never could understand disparaging any music…

  42. 42.

    mcddjj

    They put out an album with their father Jim Avett that is worth checking out if you like spirituals.

  43. 43.

    asiangrrlMN

    I like ’em. I don’t either love ’em or hate ’em, so I guess that makes me bipartisan on this issue. Hm. I am now listening to I and Love and You, and while the grammar of the title makes me shudder, I am really digging the tune. I will have to listen to more of their music.

    P.S. Anyone who employs a cellist is aces in my book.

  46. 46.

    TR

    I don’t know, how many songs about ‘Pretty Girl From ____” does one band need? If you answered ‘multiple’, then take your pick: Raleigh, Chile, The Airport, etc.

  48. 48.

    Mart

    23 year old daughter was going to see the Avett Brothers at the Pageant in STL, then had a chance to go see a show at Red Rock (wish I had her money). So I quickly volunteered that me and the misses, both 52, would take the tickets off her hands. So that covers the kids and gray hairs going to their show in St Louis. My generation may have destroyed the world, but at least some of us taught our children to value good music.

  49. 49.

    Edward G. Talbot

    Thanks E.D. – never heard them before, but the song you posted, Murder in The City is amazing.

    I went to their site to listen to other songs and I didn’t care all that much for most of them – nice easy listening, just not my cup of tea. I’m not sure why I love murder in the city so much more. It’s interesting that on some of their early stuff, they didn’t quite have the harmony down, but by their later stuff they do it really well.

    I did like Tin Man and Kick Drum heart off their latest album.

    If you don’t know Hayes Carll, you might check out his music. His latest album has a few good songs, including Beaumont, I got a Gig, and the hilarious “She left me for Jesus”

  50. 50.

    E.D. Kain

    @TR: It all depends on how many pretty girls you encounter I imagine.
    @Edward G. Talbot:

    Glad you liked the song. I think this one in particular just stirs a lot of emotion in people. Every time.

Comments are closed.