I and Love and You

Background and release

In 2008, the band announced on Myspace that they signed with American Recordings to produce a new album. Previously, the band was signed to the independent label Ramseur Records. Rick Rubin was impressed by The Avett Brothers' previous album, Emotionalism and decided to produce the album. I and Love and You was the band's major label debut (American Recordings is a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment) and was recorded in Los Angeles.

I and Love and You was released on September 29, 2009. The album peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard 200 and at No. 72 on the UK Albums Chart.

Reception

I and Love and You has received generally positive reviews. On the review aggregate site Metacritic, the album has a score of 73 out of 100, indicating "Generally favorable reviews."

Bart Blasengame of Paste gave the album a very positive review, writing that the Avett Brothers "...constructed something beautiful" while still making their sound more mainstream. The review continued: "The depth and beauty that spread all across I and Love and You will, with any luck, keep The Avett Brothers from becoming The Jonas Brothers." Popmatters' Steve Leftridge called the album the band's best record yet, writing "I and Love and You's new elegant musical direction and very strong set of new songs indicate that they are band that is indeed just getting revved up. They might remain too folk-fringe-y to be pop's Next Big Thing, but the Avetts' latest fully delivers on this band's considerable potential." Leftridge also praised Rick Rubin's contributions.

In a more mixed review, Pitchfork Media's Stephen Deusner was less receptive to the album's mainstream sound, writing "Every instrument sounds perfectly placed, and that's a shame because the Avetts got more mileage out of their rough edges than most bands this decade." Deusner also called the album "predictable" and concluded: "It's not that there's no room for such studio nuance in the Avetts' music, but it gives I and Love and You a quotidian sheen, making their signature sincerity seem sappy and much less special." Despite the mixed review, Deusner praised the track "Laundry Room." Alexis Petridis of The Guardian also praised the track "Laundry Room" in his otherwise mixed review, writing "The finest moment may be when 'Laundry Room' unexpectedly abandons the blueprint after three and half minutes and explodes into a thrilling bluegrass coda. At that moment, I and Love and You sounds like a band suddenly doing what they want to, rather than what they think they should."

Paste named I and Love and You the best album of 2009, writing "For their artistic breakthrough, these North Carolina howlers polished their scruffy Americana sound until it gleamed. The result: an overpowering acoustic album brimming with sadness and soul." In 2009, the album was ranked #9 on Paste's "The 50 Best Albums of the Decade" list.

Personnel

The following people contributed to I and Love and You: