How exactly the unusual musical pairing of Mike Patton and the Avett Brothers came about remains unclear. A touch of mystery also goes quite well with the folklore puzzle played here. Because the opener “Dark Night Of My Soul” already sounds like Harry Nilsson noir in a clinch with Kris Kristofferson.
Editorial recommendations
And lets the voices of Faith No More frontman Patton, together with Scott and Seth Avett, enjoy melting and pain in equal measure. Always a subtle touch more ethereal and otherworldly than more conventional Americana and folk arrangements would allow, with the outlier and new/dark wave excursus “Heaven’s Breath” even the typical willingness to experiment that can be attributed to Patton breaks through.
Overall, however, the avant-garde apologist, who has made a name for himself with supporting bands such as Mr. Bungle and Fantômas, is surprisingly down-to-earth in his family circle with banjo. And addictive to harmony, which ultimately culminates in the breathtakingly anthemic “Too Awesome”. But not without bringing Leonard Cohen into the Everly Brothers boat (“Disappearing”). Or to give a traditional truck like “The Ox-Driver’s Song”, which was already driven by Odetta and also Pete Seeger, a plucking, modern makeover equipped with a tribal pattern doormat on the passenger seat.
This review first appeared in Musikexpress 12/2025.