Every once in awhile, a producer becomes synonymous with a band. In the case of The Avett Brothers, at least of late, that producer has been Rick Rubin. Their latest (and eighth album overall) Magpie & the Dandelion marks their third straight studio effort with the esteemed producer. The songs on Magpie are from the sessions that produced last year’s excellent The Carpenter, and while it largely stays in fairly familiar sonic territory, the Brothers’ special knack for candid songwriting shines through once again, as does the band’s musicianship. The album opens with the lively Americana and harmonica-drenched “Open Ended Life” with the Avetts singing “I was taught to keep an open ended life and never trap myself in nothing.” “Souls Like the Wheels” stands out because it was recorded at one of their shows but it also succeeds in its moving simplicity. There’s plenty to like to merit this quick follow-up release.
Joshua M. Miller