True Sadness
by The Avett Brothers
  • Record Label: Island
  • Release Date: Jun 24, 2016
Metascore
68

Generally favorable reviews - based on 17 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 17
  3. Negative: 1 out of 17
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  1. Paste Magazine
    Jun 29, 2016
    60
    Alongside its distracting flaws, True Sadness contains some truly beautiful music--and a good measure of the joyous energy that The Avett Brothers employ to transcendent effect live--but there’s no guiding principle here, resulting in a dizzy mess of an album that doesn’t live up to the band’s talents.
  2. Slant Magazine
    Jun 22, 2016
    60
    While the experiments in modern techniques here vary in effectiveness, they at least spur the band to capture the spontaneity and jubilance of their often rapturous live shows--a spirit that often gets lost when they pack their albums with painfully sincere, stone-faced balladry. In fact, it's when the Avetts lean back on their standard neo-bluegrass style that True Sadness is at its dullest.
  3. Q Magazine
    Jun 29, 2016
    40
    Underneath their smart stylistic kinks, however, lies a fundamentally old-fashioned imagination. [Aug 2016, p.107]
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  5. The Guardian
    Jun 23, 2016
    40
    For all the talk of creative epiphany, their music remains the country-tinged comfort blanket it always was.

User Reviews

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User Score
5.5

Mixed or average reviews- based on 15 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 15
  3. Negative: 5 out of 15
  1. Rosemax
    Mar 31, 2020
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click full review link to view. I really love this album. I can wake up, put this album on, and the whoosh, the day will disappear in the best way possible. There isn’t a single thing I would change about this album. This album is truly what made me, a fan of the Avett Brothers. I appreciated how some songs take a step in a modern direction by using more current beats or instrumentation (“Ain’t no Man”, “You are Mine”), whilst other songs held true to their roots in terms of instrumentation, style, and beats (“Divorce Separation Blues”, Mama, I don’t Believe”). I found this album had added to my taste in music in a very positive way, by redirecting me from some other genres of music into the more Soft Rock/Folk Music territory (The Lumineers, Hozier, etc). When listening to most albums, I found that there are things I like to call “three-track runs” in which the three best songs are back to back. Which causes me to enjoy some parts of the album a lot more than the others, and sometimes not even playing the other parts. A good example of this is in the Lumineers album, “III” I always find myself listening to the 1st three songs, “Donna, Life in the City, and Gloria”. With this album, I can just hit play, or shuffle, and find new meaning to the album, or just have a positive listening experience. I found this album wholesome in content, and truly loved it. I would 10/10 recommend this to anyone from any genre, and would put this album in my top 3 of all time.… Full Review »
  2. avettfan
    Sep 10, 2017
    8
    I have been an Avett Brother fan for 7 years and seen them live 3 times. In my opinion this is one their most vulnerable albums. I love theirI have been an Avett Brother fan for 7 years and seen them live 3 times. In my opinion this is one their most vulnerable albums. I love their sound, but most of all I love their lyrics. This is album is different than others. The sound is a little different which upsets some fans. In my opinion its about the lyrics which are no different. I would definitely recommend this album. True Sadness is an amazing album and I look forward for what is next for the Avett Brothers.… Full Review »
  3. Luddify
    Oct 4, 2016
    0
    Please, dear God, make this twangy-pop drivel go away. I understand from second-hand reports that these guys were once okay, but this albumPlease, dear God, make this twangy-pop drivel go away. I understand from second-hand reports that these guys were once okay, but this album just smacks of calculated mega-label catering to the lowest common crossover denominator.… Full Review »
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