I got my copy of The Avett Brothers’ “The Second Gleam” EP in today, and as a whole I’m pretty happy with this new collection of work by the group. The CD copy of the EP doesn’t include as many tracks as the version on the Itunes store, so if you have not grabbed a copy of this EP yet I would recommend getting it as a digital download. This review will cover all of the tracks that are on the Itunes version, and I am not really sure why all of the tracks did not make the CD version. The EP is an interesting collection that focuses on the acoustic and soulful nature that the band can often take on their songs. I’m glad that they produced a very focused collection, and the tracks really flow well together. This is a great collection for rainy or relaxing days. The disc opens with a rambling track with complex lyrics that talks about getting rid of an old house and possessions, yet has a deeper more figurative meaning of getting over things while not taking them along but rather learning from them. This track is followed by the first track released from this collection, “Murder in the City,” that is one of the EP’s highlights. This track is about a hypothetical death and the love that is shared between members of a family. The next track “Bella Donna” is a beautiful track that is a love song to a girl that is fondly stuck in the memory, and the lyrics implore her to listen to his feelings that are not gone. “The Greatest Sum” is a great track when they play it live and the Itunes version gives us two versions one acoustic and in line with the rest of the work and then finishes with an electric version of the same song. The lyrics express the great amount of love that not even “a bullet from a gun” or “the greatest sum” can come between. The next track “St. Joseph’s” is a song about spending a night in the hospital with one’s love, and the fond memories that they shared, and the overarching message is that love doesn’t depend on where you are but rather who you are with. The song “Black, Blue” was left off of the CD, but is another strong track that speaks upon the choices they have made, and the power of retrospect. This song describes the figurative bruises that actions can make. The Itunes version finishes with the complex song “Souls Like the Wheels,” which is a commentary about the soul in its many forms. The lyrics beg one to let him go, which combined with the other lyrics conveys to me that this is a song about driving away and the reflection that this can bring.  The beauty of these tracks is reflected in the stripped down approach to the music. The  bluegrass nature of many of the Avetts’ tracks from other albums is absent in favor of simple acoustic guitar, subdued banjo, and subtle almost nonexistent bass. I think this approach urges the listener to instead focus on the message of the lyrics that leads to a calming feel with this EP, while also leaving the hardcore fan desiring some heavier bluegrass and their typical energy on their next album which should be out early next year or possibly at the end of this one. Enjoy “Murder in the City” from the EP both in album form and from Merlefest, a video of them performing “Tear Down the House” for the first time, a video of “Bella Donna” from 2005 in Concord, NC, and try to pick up your copy of this moving collection soon…

Murder in the City – The Avett Brothers – The Second Gleam

Murder in the City – The Avett Brothers – Live at Merlefest 2008

“Tear Down the House”

“Bella Donna”