After five albums and two EP's worth of work that have been worshiped by a die-hard following over the last seven years, the venerable Alt-Country group The Avett Brothers have finally been called up to the major leagues. Landing a major label deal with Sony, I and Love and You also has the distinction of being produced by Rick Rubin, one of the greatest producers of this or any generation (Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers, late-era Johnny Cash and Jay-Z just to name a few). But will a band that has been lovingly referred to as "Punk-grass" by their fans actually find a wider audience in the mainstream?

If my initial listens are any indication, the answer is a resounding yes. Scaling down the banjo's for more acoustic guitar and piano-driven tunes, I and Love and You is less The Jayhawks and more Ben Folds Five meets Rhett Miller and Old 97's. The opening title track should easily put the band on the map with its sweeping sing-a-long chorus and tracks such as "Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise" and "Ten Thousand Words" will have even the biggest early era fans/skeptics convinced that The Avett Brothers' new direction shouldn't be met with out-of-hand-dismissal. The only slight fly in the ointment on I and Love and You is the overtly polished and glossy feel throughout. What I found to be the instant draw to The Avett Brothers' earlier records - the gritty, raw and improvised feel, has been smoothed away in the interest of radio readiness. This is a minor quibble, I'm sure it will all be rectified when The Avett Brothers get the chance to reinvent these tracks and breathe spontaneous life back into them in live performance. I and Love and You is an album that will only get better with repeated listens and while I don't think it's quite the masterpiece they were hoping for, (and are capable of) I think it will be good enough to get them the mainstream recognition they've been seeking.