SALT LAKE CITY — On Sept.12, The Avett Brothers will be on the big screen in more than 300 theaters across the United States, the Tower Theatre in Salt Lake City included.
The film, titled “May it Last: A Portrait of the Avett Brothers,” chronicles the folk-rock band’s 15-year rise to fame — from brothers Scott and Seth Avett's humble beginning in Mount Pleasant, North Carolina, to gaining an ever-growing fan base and playing larger venues throughout the country.
And while fans will get a healthy dose of the raw, emotional lyrics and smooth harmonies for which the band is known, they’ll also get a glimpse of the musicians' lives off-stage.
The film is in high demand as it is only being shown for one night, and while the screening at Tower Theatre is sold out, there will be a standby line. It is recommended to show up at least 30 minutes prior to the film's start to try and secure a seat. For additional film and ticket information, visit saltlakefilmsociety.org.
But if you don't make it to the screening, you can check out these nine Avett Brothers songs — listed in chronological order — that are definitely worth a spot on your playlist.
1. "November Blue"
"November Blue” comes from the first official full-length Avett Brothers album "Country Was," which was released in 2002. Being 15 years old, the album's sound is a bit different when compared to the more recent music the band has created; there's a raw, unproduced quality that gives songs such as "November Blue" an edgier, more vulnerable sound.
2. "Salvation Song"
As a band fronted by two talented brothers, it's fitting that the theme of family weaves its way through many of the group's songs. In one of their more upbeat numbers, "Salvation Song," Scott and Seth Avett jubilantly sing of their optimistic life perspective: "We came for salvation, we came for family, we came for all that's good, that's how we'll walk away." The song is from the band's 2004 album, "Mignonette."
3. "The Weight of Lies"
In addition to just being a great song, "The Weight of Lies" imparts sound wisdom to its listeners: "The weight of lies will bring you down, and follow you to every town, 'cause nothing happens here that doesn't happen there."
From the 2007 album "Emotionalism," the song reminds listeners that escaping or running away from problems is futile, and that the only way to make it through is to be forthcoming in your dealings with others.
4. "Murder in the City"
"Murder in the City" is a song off of the Avett Brothers' 2008 EP, "The Second Gleam." Despite its morbid title, "Murder in the City" is a moving song about the power of a family bond, ending with a lyric that encapsulates the brothers' poetic songwriting: "Always remember there is nothing worth sharing like the love that let us share our name."
5. "I and Love and You"
"I and Love and You" is the title track on the Avett Brothers' 2009 album. The record marked the band's major label debut after five independent albums. The album peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard 200, according to billboard.com. The soft and lyrically complex piano ballad beautifully showcases the brothers' intricate harmonies.
6. "January Wedding"
Another song from the 2009 "I and Love and You" album, "January Wedding" is the perfect love song for a wedding — even if that wedding happens to fall during one of the other 11 months of the year. With the help of Scott Avett's fancy finger-pickin' on the banjo, the band successfully creates a sweet folk-infused love song.
7. "The Once and Future Carpenter"
This is the opening track on the Avett Brothers' 2012 album "The Carpenter," the follow-up to their major label debut in 2009. Although the songs are smoother and less raw in sound — in part because of the album's higher production quality — as seen with songs such as "The Once and Future Carpenter," the brothers' songwriting craft remains alive and well.
8. "Live and Die"
In a 2012 interview, Seth Avett told Rolling Stone that "Live and Die" was "a very personal song."
"It's about relatability, similarities among everyone, all of us," he said. "The reality that we're not much different. Anyone: me and my significant other, me and whoever's listening to the song."
"Live and Die" follows "The Once and Future Carpenter" on the 2012 album "The Carpenter."
9. "Ain't No Man"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihf9A9g6pckIt doesn't even take five seconds for you to start stomping your feet, clapping your hands and singing along to this catchy number off of the band's latest album "True Sadness," which was released in 2016. The lead single from the album, "Ain't No Man" gave the Avett Brothers their first No.1 hit on a Billboard chart, according to billboard.com. The song is admittedly poppier than fans might be used to, but it still showcases everything there is to love about the folk-rock band.