Friendship with Rubin

Like the previous three albums, “True Sadness” was produced by Rubin (whose work with the likes of Johnny Cash, Slayer, Tom Petty and ZZ Top, to name a few, has made him one of music’s most respected producers).

The friendship and familiarity that has developed between Rubin and the band made for a great environment during the making of “True Sadness,” Avett said.

“There’s just this friendship and there’s this great mutual respect,” Avett said. “So it really sort of freed us up to have a lot of fun and have a lot of experimentation with just a good friend. I think it makes for better work because there are no nerves in it and because we’re that much further along in our growth.”

The two Avett brothers remained the songwriters on “True Sadness,” but Avett said the other band members, more than ever, brought their influences and ideas to the table and had a big hand in how the songs grew from their bare bones beginnings to the versions heard on the album. For the most part, he said, the songs developed organically as the other musicians got involved.