Like a crisp autumn baseball game or warm apple pie, there is a quality to The Avett Brothers’ new album that is distinctly American. “The Carpenter” is the folk-rock band’s follow up to 2009’s breakout album “I and Love and You.” The Carolinian brothers’ eclectic sound is back with infusions of bluegrass, country and roots-rock from America’s heartland. “It must be winter in my heart,” and other lyrics demonstrate The Avett Brothers’ knack for communicating abstract emotions through physical conditions. Slow, languishing songs give way to up-tempo tracks providing a refreshing variety of pace. The album is unified by its focus on affection, both accepted and scorned. “The Carpenter” plays like the hopes, concerns and sorrows of a lover grown weary over missed opportunities. Warm acoustic guitar riffs provide an apt backdrop for soulful vocals on many tracks, especially “Live and Die.”

Grade: A