I and Love and the Avett Brothers

Well, while I recover, let's go from a dead/dying punk band to a band that is very much alive. And not at all punk. :)

In the past I've never been a fan of live music. Maybe because in the past the most of the live CD's I've listened to were my mom's Jim Brickman CDs in the car. Not quite my thing. Cheering crowds in the background always bugged me, even on my live Coldplay CD, which I for the most part like.

Oh, my friends. How much I had to learn.

Maybe it was the fact that I've since been to a live show that makes me enjoy the crowd sound now. I definitely think most of it's the fact that it's the Avett Brothers. (And here Holly walks away from the computer, shaking her head at me. Sorry dear. Not really.)

LIVE VOLUME THREE. MIND BLOWN.

Have you ever listened to music and felt something just welling up inside you? Emotion, excitement, happiness, whatever you want to call it. But you get that feeling in your lungs that makes them just a little bit tighter, and your breath catches in your throat, and your heart kinda freezes in your chest, and all you know is you have to DO something. Write. Run. Dance. Sing at the top of your lungs. You don't care. You just have to do something to give that wellspring of feeling a path to flow through. This CD does that to me, from the very first swell in the applause straight to the end. I don't think I've ever gotten that from a CD. Last time I got that feeling was... well, a live show.

There's just something about the Avetts I can't quite put my finger on. Do they have the best voices in the world? No. (Well... maybe Seth does. But that's up for debate.) They're not for everybody if you just look at the face value. But they've got a richness, a soulfulness, an honesty that's just undeniable, especially live. And even though I'm not actually at a concert, I feel like I am. I can close my eyes and see the stage and feel the music running through me and imagine quite easily I'm there. Which is AWESOME!

I bought this two nights ago... and I've literally listened to it four and a half times through already. And I'm not at all sick of it. Even the songs I wasn't incredibly fond of non-live, I love on this album. BUT... I'm not going to do my usual track-by-track runthrough for two reasons:
1. All live albums should be completely album only. If you just buy one or two songs you're missing out on the experience.
2. Similarly, live albums should never be played shuffled. You gotta listen to it straight through. You're cheating yourself if you don't.

However, I will hit the high points.
-Talk on Indolence (if you take out the one bad word like I did): REALLY fun song. Makes me want to dance in a fountain.
-The Ballad False Start-- Because I love Seth Avett and this is just adorable. (Since you probably haven't listened to the CD, he starts playing "The Ballad of Love and Hate" and kinda fades out like he forgot the words, and then says, "I'm so happy right now I can hardly stand it." And since I'm in love with him, I think it's precious.)
-The Ballad of Love and Hate-- Oh man. Oh man. Oh man. I love this song anyway, but I don't think I'm ever gonna be able to listen to the non-live version ever again, because this is so awesome. Definitely a throat-catching, heart-melting, goose-bumping, wellspringy sort of song. Oh man. If you MUST break the cardinal rule of live albums and buy a single, buy this.
-Colorshow-- I just hadn't heard this one before and I really liked it. It's catchy.
-I And Love and You-- Oh goodness. It's so lovely.
-When I Drink (which isn't actually about drinking)-- The boys are harmonizing beasts. And I love this song.
-Paranoia in B-Flat Major-- I just like this song anyway. I'm obviously more of a Seth person (haven't you been paying attention?) but I really like Scott's voice on this one. I also like the key change. (Am I crazy? Isn't it higher? I'm pretty sure the one on Emotionalism is just B Major... but I might be crazy.)
-Kick Drum Heart-- I like this song anyway, even though it's not the most Avetty Avett song, but live it becomes a really really Avetty song. It makes me smile whether I feel like it or not. I like it.

IN CONCLUSION... I need an Avett concert. If they come to Denver, I will explode. And then put all my pieces back together and get myself to that concert.

Thank You, Lord, for making the Avett Brothers brothers, so they can't break up like Paramore. :)

<3