Bloggerhythms

A little late, here are Bloggerhythms' picks for the best releases of 2012. 1 – The Avett Brothers – The Carpenter The country-rocking outfit from North Carolina does it again with their second terrific album in a row. The banjo driven "Live and Die" couldn't be more catchy if it tried and you really need to listen to the great power-pop treat, "I Never Knew You." Most of the album is country music with a rock attitude. Great arrangements, songs, and vocals are everywhere. Rick Rubin has really turned the brothers into stars. Details here . 2 – Brandi Carlile – Bear Creek Carlile's always mature song-writing blooms into full adulthood on this, her fourth, full length, studio album. Reflecting on her childhood and sometimes demonstrating a spiritual side she never displayed before the young singer-songwriter and her ever-present cohorts, the Hanseroth twins, gave us a top notch set of inward looking, philosophical songs. The ballads are sw...

The Carpenter , The Avett Brothers' sixth studio album, is their second major label release and it's also the second one in a row with the renowned Rick Rubin in the producer's chair. It's also a thoroughly enjoyable set that is doing well on the charts. The Avetts are correctly labeled as a country-folk band. However, you can also call them yuppie-country or urban-country (No, They're not oxymorons). Once you hear their work you'll understand. On The Carpenter the Avetts alternate soft, nice and easy ballads ("February Seven," "The Once and Future Carpenter," and "Through My Prayers) with up-tempo fare such as the banjo driven "Live and Die," a supremely catchy song that is getting all of the airplay it deserves on adult alternative radio. "I Never Knew You," with its 60s, Southern California vocal harmonies, is as effervescent as acoustic power-pop can get. "Down With The Shine," features a horn ...

You really have to hand it to The Avett Brothers for their perseverance. Since 2002 they have averaged one CD release per year.  It took until their eighth disc, issued last year, before they were able to finally land a major label deal from American Recordings, a Columbia Records affiliate headed by producer Rick Rubin. He is renowned for working with The Beastie Boys, Run-DMC, Metallica, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Rage Against The Machine, and perhaps most famously, Johnny Cash. Rubin, currently the number two in command at Columbia, helped make the brothers stars with their latest album, I and Love and You . Seth and Scott Avett are the lead singers for a trio that includes bassist and keyboard player Bob Crawford. They are ably assisted by an unofficial fourth member, Joe Kwon on cello. Scott, Seth, and others play drums in the studio, but they use a fulltime drummer for concerts. The very slow and quiet title track was the unlikely first single, becoming a big hit on college...