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Schweiz (Deutsch)Avett Brothers / Beatles Comparison
Avett Brothers / Beatles Comparison
Posted: Monday, September 28, 2009 - 22:26
I've seen some talk of this, and spent some time thinking about it, of my own accord. I think the new album, like all of them, is brilliant, and represents a major step, in their career. It's very similar to what happened to the Beatles, after they met Bob Dylan. So, is Rick Ruben the new Dylan? I guess we'll have to wait and see.
Replies for this Board Topic
ahhh so many commas. Just kidding. I think Rick would need to lose some weight and write a million great songs before he could be their dylan.
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We all should break down the walls being built around us
Rick's no Dylan. I respect him as a producer but don't think he is even a George Martin. As far as crediting Dylan for what the Beatles created I don't believe he had any more of an influence on them than Carl Perkins, Little Richard of Chuck Berry. Sure he turned them on to cannabis for the first time, but I believe their song writing was inspired as much by Bryan Wilson and Procol Harum. John listened to Procol Harum incessantly during the recording of Sgt. Pepper. I’m sure you will find many Dylan fans that would disagree with me but after 40 years of being a Beatles fanatic it’s my just take on it.
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"I have opinions of my own -- strong opinions -- but I don't always agree with them." - George Bush
This Dylan fan doesn't disagree. I am on record concerning the Beatles comparison. It was tempting early on, but I hesitated until Emotionalism. Now I am sold and starting to wonder just how much of an impact on music this little NC band is going to make.
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"Technology to wipe out truth is now available, not everyone can afford it but it's available." B. Dylan
Rejoice always, Mark
I'm with you Sunday...
Mentonelee... i see where you're coming from, but you may be a little off base comparing rubin with dylan. they're just not the same...
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Peace,
Worth
~~~Roll Tide!~~~
NC has had a few bands over the years that came as close as the Avetts are now... the dB's, Ben Folds, Superchunk, Southern Culture on the Skids, and Squirrel Nut Zippers.
I think the Avett Brothers could be the ones that soar way above all previous NC outfits.
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http://www.facebook.com/reiggin
http://www.flickr.com/photos/reiggin/sets/72157621996248530/detail/
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=34346606FEC38E83
I think that SFOS has a lil Beatles sound to it but More of You REALLY sounds Beatlesy (or is it Beatley?) to me. That being said, I don't listen to much of the Beatles so I could be way off base...
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"I wonder which brother is better, which one our parents love the most...he said I love you and I'm proud of you both in so many different ways."
Will You Return is very, very Beatle-esque.
"but what about you're song? the one about getting high? you know and when i touch you i get high i get high"
i love that.
i love the dylan releases from the sgnt. pepper times. john wesley harding and nashville skyline might be my favorite dylan albums. i dont think dylan wants to be credited for that.
and rick is nowhere near george martin! although i love his work, george martin is immortal to me.
I guess my real point was that TAB seem on the verge of changing the musical landscape in a big way. I wasn't comparing Rubin to Dylan as a musician. I was comparing them as conduits for change. Scott has called this record Blood Sugar Sex Magic, minus the heroine. The Chili Peppers are not the Beatles, but Rubin certainly had an effect on them. Unfortunately, though, the Letterman appearance was not TAB at their best and can't be compared to when that other band appeared on Ed Sullivan. Comma count: 4
"Happy's not the word, you make me free."
Nothing can be compared to The Beatles on Sullivan...there isn't a venue like that on tv anymore. I think TRL in the early 2000's were the closest that anyone could come to being on Sullivan.
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"The words you wish your head didn't say are the ones their heart will hold onto the longest." -- Bill Mallonee
Scott said in a recent interview that Rubin helped them to "slow down". I think that was his biggest contribution to the album.
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We all should break down the walls being built around us
isn't Letterman filmed in the old Ed Sullivan theater? how ironic then, aye?
No band will compare to the Beatles as it was not only their music, personalities and genius, but also a time and place. a place in time. can't be repeated or duplicated. it's like comparing St. Peter to Moses. Both great, but lived in different times. certainly one couldn't have lived and done what he'd done w/out the other coming first. However (here it comes), i believe TAB comes the closest to reaching Beatle importance/effect/potential impact on the musical scene, at least in recent memory. i highly doubt that ANY band will ever come close to the sweeping popularity effect that the Beatles had though. too many genres now, too much musical access for the world @ any one time. However (again), my child (and many others children) as well as my parents love TAB. Did the Beatles (or any other band for that matter) accomplish such a diverse age demographic? Though, whenever i play TAB out, i usually make some Beatle reference, something about the next coming of Lennon/McCartney....
p.s. Mr. Rubin, as good and influential as he is, could not hold Mr. Martin's tea + crumpets.
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Team Avett #74
www.youtube.com/michinspirado
Wow, I have been thinking about this a lot lately. Personally, I would have to initially agree with Chrisvant, but I think a point needs to be made here. The Beatles hit the world stage at the right time. There wasn’t good music in the US in 1963 when "I want to hold your hand" hit the charts, unless one wants to make an argument for the Beach Boys. The great music of the 1950s died in '57 when Elvis went to war and Berry went to jail. Now, the Avett's have a lot more to compete with these days. Good music and access to good music is all around us, unlike the old days of 1963. Unfortunately, not the Avetts, or any band, will ever have as much influence and sheer power the Beatles had. Although, I do want to agree with bobzimmerman in that I want to see what influence TABs will have on music. I do believe the Avetts are going to spark a new style of music and attract the masses, much like the Beatles. Hopefully, one day people will put the Avetts on the same level of the Beatles, but Avettnation will never overshadow Beatlemania.
This is fun: Who would be John, Paul, George, and Ringo?
Seth has to be John. Let's see, maybe Joe Kwan for Ringo. Scott would definately be Paul. Which leaves Little Bobby Crawford as George Harrison. lol That was fun.....lol. BTW, Clem and Chris, you guys both made some pretty astute points.
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"Happy's not the word, you make me free."
Well, good music and access to good music is all around us, but none of it seems to be hitting the mainstream radio... If the Avett Bros. managed to get radio play, they'd have the potential to cross genre borders. The current mainstream country or pop stations have gotten pretty bad lately... at least in my opinion. The Avett Brothers have, at this moment, various songs on their new album that could easily get them played (and allow them to excel) on a radio station of any of these genres. Slight Figure of Speech even might have some alt. rock potential. You never know...
I'd also point out that Bob Dylan helped the Beatles loosen up, opened them up to genres outside the immediate mainstream, and opened them up to some folk influences. Rick Rubin has tightened the Avett Brothers up, made them more accessible to the mainstream, and opened them up to some more pop influences (taking them, in fact, a small step away from their older folk influences.) In a respect, Rick Rubin has done the OPPOSITE of what Bob Dylan did to the Beatles. Yet in a way, this might have been what they needed.
"Seth has to be John. Let's see, maybe Joe Kwan for Ringo. Scott would definately be Paul. Which leaves Little Bobby Crawford as George Harrison."
OK, I'll play. I think you have Seth and Scott turned around.
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"Technology to wipe out truth is now available, not everyone can afford it but it's available." B. Dylan
Rejoice always, Mark
I think the are more Beach Boys during Pet Sounds ........
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Do the best you can and that wont go unseen
I agree w/Erik whole heartedly on Scott being Paul + Seth being John. although there are shades of John in Scott too, Scott is definitely more in tune w/the showmanship aspect as Paul was. Seth is more apt to be introspective, and dare i say, better musician (and even composer because of that fact? maybe). Not taking anything away from Pauls' musical abilities, but John seemed better to me. I am a John fan, to each their own....
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Team Avett #74
Soupbone79
Posted: Monday, September 28, 2009 - 22:54
"IF there were no Avett Brothers, yes, life would still go on, but thank god they are here, helping us all get through all the points in between."
www.youtube.com/michinspirado
XD mentolee made that comment, not me
But I agree with him.
Vocally, both Paul and Scott have a more traditional sound within their original genre (Paul's more watery voice, suitable for the pop-rock the Beatles played at the time; Scott's gravelly, folky tones that are more traditionally suited for the folk music the Avetts started off playing.) Meanwhile, both John and Seth mix things up a bit (John's nasal, dare I say pre-alt. rock vocals; Seth's clear voice with pop and classic rock tendencies, and an almost punk esque scream... not to say that Scott can't screech it out too, but it's not quite at the same level as Seth.)
As song writers, it's hard to really look at it the same way. The Avett's still share vocals on songs either of them wrote, collaborate on most songs. and sometimes switch the singer to suit the song. Not only that, they both turn out really good music in many different styles... and it's hard to tell who even really wrote which song.
I think they're more like the Dave Clark 5.
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http://www.tablive.net
T.A.F.K.A.M. your post made me Glad All Over.
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"I have opinions of my own -- strong opinions -- but I don't always agree with them." - George Bush
I am also a John fan. I peg Scott to him because of Scott's emphasis on lyrics and Seth's gift of melody.
Here's another thing bouncing around in my head. It's amazing how little the Avetts have changed. The quality of their melodies and lyrics was there from the start. These new tunes have great lyrics, but I don't think they shine any brighter than PG at the Airport or The New Love Song or The Lowering. The Beatles had the melody aspect down pat from the beginning but definitely grew by leaps lyrically. Reminds me of Dylan (may as well throw in the second ultimate icon) whose lyrics were explosive from day 1.
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"Technology to wipe out truth is now available, not everyone can afford it but it's available." B. Dylan
Rejoice always, Mark
"Will You Return is very, very Beatle-esque."
Hasn't it been said that the Beatles were influenced, in their early (Hamburg club playing) days, by early 60s American bands like the Everly Brothers?
"Will You Return" has always struck me as a song the Everlys would have done, if only they'd been influenced by the Beatles first.