True Sadness
by The Avett Brothers
  • Record Label: Island
  • Release Date: Jun 24, 2016
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
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  1. Zaximus
    Jun 29, 2016
    0
    I literally created this account just to forewarn others away from this album. I've been listening to The Avett Brothers since Four Thieves Gone, around 2007. I LITERALLY PLAY THE BANJO because of Scott Avett. I've seen them 9 times in concert and I can honestly say I'll never purchase another ticket or another album if this is the direction they keep heading. I remember hearing "SatanI literally created this account just to forewarn others away from this album. I've been listening to The Avett Brothers since Four Thieves Gone, around 2007. I LITERALLY PLAY THE BANJO because of Scott Avett. I've seen them 9 times in concert and I can honestly say I'll never purchase another ticket or another album if this is the direction they keep heading. I remember hearing "Satan Pulls The Strings" live two years ago, I couldn't wait until I could own that track and listen to it over and over. Not now, it's complete pop garbage. There are hundreds of bands in the pop genre, it's literally in the name. They add a fiddle player then turn around and use more drums and electronic tones than they actually use their instruments. At least when Mumford & Sons decided to succumb to critics opinions they sold out 100%. For the life of me I cannot understand what these wonderfully talented musicians are sacrificing their soul and their identity for.… Expand
  2. MisterShmi
    Jun 27, 2016
    0
    The Avett Brothers decline into superficial pop music continues with True Sadness. The album is aptly named - I never knew true sadness until I saw what Rick Rubin did the once great Avetts. Their heartfelt, raw folk music that made their original devoted fans like me has been replaced with soulless, overproduced garbage.

    Imagine a whole album filled with songs like "Paul Newman vs The    The Avett Brothers decline into superficial pop music continues with True Sadness. The album is aptly named - I never knew true sadness until I saw what Rick Rubin did the once great Avetts. Their heartfelt, raw folk music that made their original devoted fans like me has been replaced with soulless, overproduced garbage.

    Imagine a whole album filled with songs like "Paul Newman vs The Demons" and thats what you get here. I could still enjoy parts of The Carpenter and their other newer stuff, but this album only serves to agitate and make me angry when I listen to it. I legitimately hate this album and can't ever envision myself listening to it again. The only thing that made it worth the purchase is the absolutely fantastic track "Fisher Road to Hollywood."    … Expand
  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 album just smacks of calculated mega-label catering to the lowest common crossover denominator.

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
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
  1. Blurt Magazine
    Sep 6, 2016
    80
    Ultimately, True Sadness is a confessional set of songs, revealing in many ways and vulnerable in many others. However, honesty has always been an inherent element in their sound, so in that sense this album’s no different.
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  2. Magnet
    Aug 9, 2016
    70
    There’s True Sadness, whose songs touch lyrically upon all things sad but with various shades of unsubtle sound to guide them. [No. 133, p.54]
  3. PopMatters
    Jul 15, 2016
    80
    If Seth’s letter announcing its arrival prior to release has any overarching voice in this, their goal of developing a record that portrays itself as “multidimensional as its makers” has been thoroughly achieved.
    Read full review
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