May It Last, the documentary on the Avett Brothers, shows the lives and bond of the band, and how they make such emotionally powerful music.
“One thing we’ve become professionals at is reading our diary on stage,” Seth Avett says in May It Last: A Portrait of The Avett Brothers. What makes the Avett brothers so special is how deeply they delve into their emotions, bare their souls, and pour it all out in their music. And Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio’s documentary shows how brothers Seth and Scott are able to be so vulnerable together.
For their second documentary together, Apatow and Bonfiglio spent over two years with the Avett Brothers while they worked on their 2016 album True Sadness. They went from Ashville and Concord, North Carolina to recording the album with Rick Rubin in Malibu, California.
May It Last tells the history of The Avett Brothers. Wanting to rebel against the country music that surrounded them, Scott and Seth turned towards bands like Nirvana. But once Seth met Doc Watson, they realized that character, not volume, created power and turned toward their current sound.
But, of course, a music documentary has to be about more than just the music to be interesting. And we see the Avett Brothers’ lives in North Carolina, their families, and their ups and downs. One thing we learn is that the Avett Brothers’ home lives are very important to them. And because their lives outside of their music are so important to them, they’re able to make good music.
And while many behind-the-scenes movies will show the drama and tension within bands and families, you won’t find any of that in May It Last. Instead, May It Last shows that Seth and Scott are just genuine, down-to-earth, good people.
Ultimately, we see just how close the Avett brothers and their band are. While their age difference was a problem when they were younger, Scott and Seth became close friends, which set up a great foundation for their band. The whole band is completely there for each other through big moments and small moments. We hear about hard and tragic times like Seth’s divorce and bassist Bob Crawford’s daughter’s brain tumor diagnosis. And, of course, there are the happy moments like weddings, babies, and more.
That bond, trust, and closeness allows the Avett Brothers to be open and vulnerable with each other enough to write songs like “No Hard Feelings” and “Divorce Separation Blues.” We see them play off each other and work together as they write songs that are so deeply personal to them. Their bond only makes them stronger.
Of course, laying out their emotions like that does take its toll. It takes sacrifice. And we see how tough it can be while they perform “No Hard Feelings” during a recording session.
The Avett Brothers have been one of my favorite bands for a long time. Their music can be fun, gut-wrenching, and more. It feels authentic, honest, and relatable. And it’s so interesting to see their process. But May It Last is ultimately a story about family and how this band has grown. Like their music, the documentary will make you feel all the feelings and I highly recommend it.
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May It Last was only in theaters last night, but will air on HBO in early 2018.