EP Update: The Avett Brothers and One Day As a Lion

The Second Gleam (2008, Ramseur) The Avett Brothers' fourth studio EP. **1/2

The Avett Brothers are a definitive college-esque band. Hippie circles love 'em and they've got enough spunk to attact even offended ears, but on The Second Gleam, the energy is lost. That in itself is not the problem. In fact, if anything, it shows maturity. However, the material is just downright dull from start to finish. In fact, only on "The Greatest Sum" do soulful vocals actually appear, as the rest of the EP is dominated with cliche remembrances of love, family, and death. To say it is bad is one thing; awful, certainly not. But what makes it bad is its own laziness, which is a cumulative would-be effort of simple rhythms and lyrics.

One Day As a Lion (2008, Anti) One Day As a Lion's first studio EP. ****

For a long time there was talk of Zack de la Rocha releasing solo material (apparently material he had been working on even before Rage Against the Machine split), and even more talk when he worked with Trent Reznor. But now we get some sort of taste of what de la Rocha is like on his own, but he equally shares the stage with Jon Theodore, former Mars Volta drummer. As expected, One Day As a Lion is explosive, with de la Rocha spitting hateful messages at the powers-that-be while taking a minimalist effect. The idea is fantastic; Theodore's drumming is superb, playing a central role in not only developing an effective beat, but also being fairly responsible for filling the sound, as de la Rocha's vocals and keyboards are either sparse or start-and-stop. Sure, it sounds like lost Rage material, but it's fairly intimate for what it is, and what it is is fantastic. A full-length LP would be outstanding. On it, boys! (Wild International)

Review on YouTube: One Day as a Lion - One Day as a Lion