I and Love and You

Without a doubt the album, I and Love and You by the Avett Brothers would be the first record I would own. I love this album so much. It's honestly my favorite album ever. The opening and title track, "I and Love and You," begins with soft piano that is followed by the soothing tones of Scott Avett's voice. Scott Avett draws us a picture of two people packing up all their belongings and beginning their anew elsewhere while informing, "the ones that need to know." However, the song shifts to the narrator's inability to say, I love you, and the struggle to find his way in life. These themes are common throughout the album, love and carving your path in the world. "Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise," addresses the latter one head on. This song, itself, may be the best song ever written all around. The melody gets lodged in your mind where it reminds you of the dissatisfied, yet uplifting, lyrics. Not to mention the instrumentation only enhances the frustration that the writers have felt towards humanity without making it sound angsty.
The upbeat feel of "And It Spread" counteracts the message of a man struggling with self harm after his love has left him. However, the song has a happy ending with the return of the aforementioned love. The best part of this song is the desperation that is felt as Scott Avett strains his voice while he sings about truth and lies. "Ten Thousand Words" is one of my favorite song by the Avetts because they offset a beautiful melody with lyrics discussing the ignorance and negative side of every person. This same topic is brought to light in a first person narrative in the song, "Ill With Want." The narrator laments, "I am ill with wanting and it's evil and it's daunting," and later on, "poisoned by this ugly greed."
"Tin Man," "Kick Drum Heart," and "Slight Figure of Speech" are the other faster paced songs on this album. Of them all, "Slight Figure of Speech" is my favorite with its break in melody where the Avett Brothers almost rap slightly incoherently about the need people have to tear others down, and their plea to be left alone. I think most can relate to this sentiment of wanting to be just left alone after so many people have given a negative opinion about your life.
Finally, the last song, "Incomplete and Insecure," is a haunting declaration of living an unfulfilled and how it is wrong to live like that.
Overall, this is the best work of the Avett Brothers so far although True Sadness may replace it as such. The jury is still out on that one.
Essential Tracks: All of them, not a single one is more essential than the other, well "January Wedding" can be skipped.