May It Last: A Portrait of the Avett Brothers

I didn't know much about the Avett Brothers before seeing this - I had only heard a handful of their songs and knew incredibly little about the members or where they were even from, but I saw this documentary pop up on a lazy Sunday morning and decided to give it a try.

Two hours later I found myself wiping away some tears, adding a bunch of their music to my daily playlist, and having a massive appreciation for the intimate music that Scott and Seth have gifted to us.

At times I don't know how they are able to record songs which are so emotionally heavy they required a break after being recorded, but it is a testament to their process of using music to heal that they were able to record something so personal and raw.

I love documentaries about musicians and bands and it is so refreshing to watch one where there is no real conflict between members, substance abuse driving issues in the band, or anything besides 2 brothers and 5 musicians existing as a family united by their love of music, and life, and all the trials and tribulations that come with such an arrangement.

Thank you Seth and Scott, Rob, Judd and everyone else involved in making this.

10/10 would recommend.

May It Last premiered this week at SXSW in Austin. The crowd was a mix of festival goers and die-hard fans of the band (made possible by a generous invitation by the band.) And while the film was,in part, preaching to the choir, it is a successful project that will likely play well to people with little or no knowledge of The Avett Brothers. The use of music is glorious. Songs are allowed to play out in full, but it never slows down the pace of the film. The music sounds rich and full in the theater and the casual observer will leave the theater with a good primer on Avett music. Watching the Brothers write together, play ping pong or help their father with chores, we see a group of people who love deeply, work hard, and have a lot of fun together. Some personal stories are shared, but it never feels intrusive. I love music documentaries and count myself as a huge fan of The Avett Brothers, but I also see this as a film that shines a light on the writing and recording process, shows the sacrifices that band members and their families make to sustain their careers, and show that important and meaningful words and music can be created without sacrificing integrity, important family moments, and a lot of fun along the way.