Magpie and the dandelion

"The inclusion of a live "Souls Like the Wheels"-not as a bonus track, but right in the thick of things-lends the record a hodge-podge feel, and gives credence to suspicions that the record isn't much more than a collection of leftovers rather than a proper eighth studio album. Sure, it's a decent bunch of leftovers and will likely appeal to Avetts dreamers who prefer the brothers serene and misty-eyed. For everyone else, Magpie and the Dandelion is competently played, handsomely arranged, and fairly boring".

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"More hard-bitten and somberly reflective, Magpie exposes lyrics that tilt into hokey romanticism. But the craft is automatic, whether on the bluegrass-fed Weezerian rocker "Another Is Waiting" or the acoustic weeper "Apart From Me."".

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"Their recognition of pop's ability to articulate its listeners' feelings, boost morale and offer guidance is the best and worst thing about them: they come across as honest and unaffected, but also self-regarding in their homespun wisdom, and far too quick with a cliche. The best songs here are disrupted by uncertainty: Open Ended Life is thrillingly complex, a celebration of freedom that regrets having nothing to lose".

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