🚀 "High Steppin'" serves as a mission statement for the Closer Than Together era, signaling the band’s shift toward more personal and socially conscious storytelling while refusing to be pinned down by a single musical genre.
Despite the dark undertones, the song concludes with a message of resilience, suggesting that "the very last word is love". Visual Narrative: Riding with Death
Seth Avett appears in the shotgun seat dressed as a skeletal "Death" figure, serving as a constant reminder of mortality even during the song's most "sunny" moments. The Avett Brothers - High Steppin
Scott Avett noted that the lyrics reflect how choices become more limited as one gets older, dictated by past commitments and hard-earned lessons.
The accompanying music video, which features Scott driving a vintage Ford truck in a red rhinestone Nudie suit, visualizes these themes through surreal imagery. 🚀 "High Steppin'" serves as a mission statement
Released in June 2019 as the lead single for their album Closer Than Together , "High Steppin'" represents a bold, experimental pivot for The Avett Brothers. While the band is traditionally rooted in acoustic folk and Americana, this track blends their signature strings with pulsating 1980s-style synths and a spoken-word interlude, creating a sonic landscape that is both catchy and intentionally jarring. Musical Composition and Contrast
Scott and Seth Avett share lead vocals, maintaining the brotherly harmony that has defined their nearly two-decade career. Lyrical Themes: Mortality and Choice Scott Avett noted that the lyrics reflect how
The chorus describes a man who is "high bettin'" and "love givin'," appearing to live a life of free-wheeling abundance while simultaneously "losin' grip" in the "canyons of [his] mind".