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With songs by The Avett Brothers, Swept Away is inspired by the true story of an 19th century shipwreck in which seamen resorted to cannibalism to survive. Julieta Cervantes/Arena Stage hide caption

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Music

Truth, forgiveness: 'Swept Away' is a theatrical vessel for Avett Bros' music

January 8, 2024 • With songs by the Avett Brothers, Swept Away follows four men fighting to survive a shipwreck. The musical is inspired by the true story in which men resort to cannibalism to survive.

Truth, forgiveness: 'Swept Away' is a theatrical vessel for Avett Bros' music

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The Avett Brothers WXPN/Still from video hide caption

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World Cafe

The Avett Brothers' 'Third Gleam' Reminds Us Why We Fell In Love With Them

WXPN

November 13, 2020 • The Third Gleam has no big band, no synths, no electric guitar. Just the brothers and their longtime bassist, Bob Crawford, for a series of songs.

The Avett Brothers On World Cafe

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Angel Olsen's Whole New Mess is one of our favorite albums out Aug. 28 Kylie Coutts/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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All Songs Considered

New Music Friday: The Top 8 Albums Out Aug. 28

August 28, 2020 • NPR Music picks the best new albums out this week, including unadorned records from Angel Olsen and The Avett Brothers, the genre-bending Georgia Anne Muldrow and more.

New Music Friday: The Top 8 Albums Out Aug. 28

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Clem Snide with Scott Avett play a Tiny Desk (Home) concert. NPR/NPR hide caption

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Tiny Desk

Clem Snide With Scott Avett: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert

May 23, 2020 • Clem Snide and Scott Avett play spiritually searching songs from Forever Just Beyond while maintaining social distancing for their Tiny Desk (home) concert.

R&B singer Summer Walker. Her latest album, Over It, is on our shortlist for the best releases out on Oct. 4. Aiden Cullen hide caption

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All Songs Considered

New Music Friday: Our Top 7 Albums Out On Oct. 4

October 4, 2019 • It's a packed release week, with new albums from R&B singer Summer Walker, The Avett Brothers, Angel Olsen, Wilco, Danny Brown and more. Host Robin Hilton is joined by NPR Music's Lyndsey McKenna, Rodney Carmichael, Sidney Madden and Stephen Thompson as they share their picks for the week's best new albums.

New Music Friday: Our Top 7 Albums Out On Oct. 4

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Scott and Seth Avett in the HBO documentary May It Last: A Portrait Of The Avett Brothers. HBO hide caption

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Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'May It Last' Brings The Avett Brothers From North Carolina To HBO

January 29, 2018 • Judd Apatow is one of the directors of a new documentary airing on HBO that follows the recording of a Grammy-nominated album from the North Carolina band.

Cover Stories, a new compilation of artists covering Brandi Carlile's The Story, comes out May 5. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Review

First Listen

First Listen: Artists Cover Brandi Carlile's 'The Story'

April 27, 2017 • Adele, Pearl Jam, The Avett Brothers, Dolly Parton and 10 more beloved musicians cover songs from Carlile's revered album, The Story.

The Avett Brothers' new album, True Sadness, comes out June 24. Crackerfarm/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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First Listen

Review: The Avett Brothers, 'True Sadness'

June 20, 2016 • The band's sound has changed markedly over the years, but its songs remain rooted in a search for self-improvement, and in a kind of fundamental decency.

The Avett Brothers performing a Tiny Desk Concert. Frannie Kelley/NPR/NPR hide caption

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All Songs Considered

Throwback Thursday: Watch The Avett Brothers Perform At The Tiny Desk

April 21, 2016 • For Throwback Thursday, we share an intimate, energetic 2009 performance by the Avett Brothers, from the earliest days of the Tiny Desk.

Clockwise from upper left: The Avett Brothers, The Low Anthem, Deerhoof, Jaye Bartell Courtesy of the artists hide caption

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All Songs Considered

New Music From The Avett Brothers, The Low Anthem, Deerhoof, More

April 19, 2016 • This week's episode of All Songs includes a premiere by The Avett Brothers and The Low Anthem paying homage to Hall of Fame shortstop Ozzie Smith.

New Music From The Avett Brothers, The Low Anthem, Deerhoof, More

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Seth Avett and Jessica Lea Mayfield. Crackerfarm hide caption

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All Songs Considered

Song Premiere: Seth Avett & Jessica Lea Mayfield

January 21, 2015 • The duo is about to release an album of Elliott Smith covers. Hear one here for the first time.

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World Cafe

Vintage Cafe: The Avett Brothers

WXPN

July 21, 2014 • In 2009, the roots-rock band performed three songs and discussed its work with producer Rick Rubin.

The Avett Brothers On World Cafe

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Vampire Weekend's Modern Vampires of the City was the most popular record in our listener poll for the best music of 2013. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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All Songs Considered

Poll Results: Listeners Pick Their Favorite Albums of 2013

December 12, 2013 • See what albums NPR listeners picked in our year-end poll for the best music of 2013.

Poll Results: Listeners Pick Their Favorite Albums of 2013

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The Avett Brothers' new album, Magpie and the Dandelion, comes out Oct. 15. Danny Clinch/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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First Listen

First Listen: The Avett Brothers, 'Magpie And The Dandelion'

October 8, 2013 • The band's body of work forms the outlines of a makeshift guide to life, and to being fundamentally decent in the pursuit of something even better. On Magpie and the Dandelion, Seth and Scott Avett examine the push and pull between day-to-day pressures and a need for connection, contentedness and openness to wonder.

The Avett Brothers, 'Magpie And The Dandelion'

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Clockwise from upper left: Cults, Lily and Madeleine, Kishi Bashi, The Avett Brothers Courtesy of the artists hide caption

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All Songs Considered

New Music: Cults, Avett Brothers, Kishi Bashi, More

August 13, 2013 • This week's episode of All Songs Considered includes great songs from favorites old (Cults, The Avett Brothers) and new (Weed, Lily & Madeleine).

New Music: Cults, Avett Brothers, Kishi Bashi, More

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The Avett Brothers will release Magpie and the Dandelion on Oct. 15 Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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All Songs Considered

Song Premiere: The Avett Brothers, 'Another Is Waiting'

August 8, 2013 • From an album due out in October, "Another Is Waiting" accomplishes everything an Avetts song should: Fueled by sweet banjo strums, it's catchy, concise and sweet, with a thoughtful and subtle message about rejecting shallow pursuits and staying open to emotional connections with others.

Song Premiere: The Avett Brothers, 'Another Is Waiting'

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Newport Folk Festival

The Avett Brothers, Live In Concert

July 28, 2013 • Led by North Carolina brothers Seth and Scott Avett, the band blends showmanship and poignancy. Watch the band encore with "I And Love And You" and hear the full set.

The Avett Brothers, Live In Concert

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World Cafe

The Avett Brothers On World Cafe

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May 27, 2013 • Hear the dynamic, thought-provoking folk-rock band play songs from its latest album, The Carpenter.

The Avett Brothers On World Cafe

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Grizzly Bear's newest full-length, Shields, is one of a heaping handful of exciting new rock albums out this month. Tom Hines/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Music

What To Hear Now: This Month In Rock Records

September 11, 2012 • Rock critic Tom Moon chats with NPR's Melissa Block about some exciting fall releases from Grizzly Bear, Bob Dylan and others.

What To Hear Now: This Month In Rock Records

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The Avett Brothers' new album, The Carpenter, will be released on Sept. 11. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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First Listen

First Listen: The Avett Brothers, 'The Carpenter'

August 29, 2012 • The Carpenter dispenses hook-filled anthems amid introspective looks at mortality and devotion. As always, the Avetts' music aims for something bigger than itself, and damned if it doesn't find it.

Hear 'The Carpenter' In Its Entirety

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The Avett Brothers are real-life siblings Scott (left) and Seth Avett (right), and bass player Bob Crawford. The band's newest album is The Carpenter. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Music Interviews

The Avett Brothers: Matters Of Life And Death

August 26, 2012 • The band follows its 2009 breakthrough album with The Carpenter, a set of songs about death and mortality — themes that have dominated the members' lives of late.

The Avett Brothers: Matters Of Life And Death

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The Avett Brothers Field Recordings video shoot Mito Habe-Evans/NPR hide caption

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Field Recordings

The Avett Brothers: Hot Tea And Honey

WXPN

August 22, 2012 • Situated on a tour bus in a parking lot in Camden, N.J., Seth and Scott Avett perform their new single: "Live and Die," a song which lends itself to the pair's acoustic-guitar-and-banjo interplay.

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