This band received a lot of hype fast! A friend told me about them a year ago and he said “You have got to check out this band, nobody has heard of them but they are so good!” I forgot the band name before I got to my computer and did not care that much. Then about six month latter, Boom, they were everywhere and everyone was talking about them. This band has been together since 2007 but have received much attention after there first full length release of Sigh No More in the UK in October 2009 and in the US in February 2010. I tried to resist the hype thinking they were a one song internet boom but finally bought the album. The hype they have received is well worth what they have created. When a band gets popular fast and is going on large tours, one wonders whether they will be like all the other one hit wonders. But the whole album is SOLID and there is not a bad song on it. So, I am not worried that they will fade into cyber oblivion and can vouge for their musicianship.
The Good!
Like I said this album is solid all the way through. This is clearly shown by the 4 singles released from this single album. This band creates catchy melodies that are memorable and singable, while not creating a sing-a-long that gets stuck in your head and then you start to despise the one who wrote that melody. The instruments create an energetic base for those catchy melodies. Their sound though not necessarily new but they use the banjo and horns to set themselves far enough out in the folk category to be recognized over everything else on the radio without going to far to lose a mainstream audience. The lyrics are inspired largely by Shakespeare and give the lyrics a timeless element to them. And what about those harmonies and vocal swells, beautiful!
The Bad...
I can say though I have faith that Mumford and Sons won’t sell out and play music that the producers make them play, yet with such fast fame one wonders how much they will be effected by this boom in exposure. Back to the actual music, the album does mope a little bit at times speaking of remorse and tragedies. The banjo is good but overused for my taste. I also do not understand why they drop the F bomb in their music in Little Lion Man though no other profanities are used, I personally like a live version where the word “messed” was replaced, I think it had about the same effect.
Overall?
4.5 out of 5. Great album, great songs, and I can play the album over and over and I can’t get sick of it. It is interesting the whole way through. The lyrics are inspiring. This is one that you should have in your collection even if it is just to document the times in your collection.
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