Emotionalism was The Avett Brother’s first album with their now popular cellist Joe Kwon, and their last album before teaming up with producer Rick Rubin. It is considered their album that launched them onto the national music stage and set the tone for much of their following work. Popular tracks like The Ballad of Love and Hate (
) helped get the album some much deserved attention from larger crowds, more so than any of The Avett Brother’s previous works.