In early 2008 as Mumford & Sons first started touring, the word-of-mouth surrounding them grew steadily, like a slowly rolling snowball. Once upon a time they were the backing band of Laura Marling, these four young men from London quickly showed that they had what it takes to cut their own path into the limelight. As the snowball grew, a few stellar EPs eked out that increased the hubbub around them colossally, and with it came a collective desire for a full-length.
Finally in October of 2009 the band delivered – and they did not disappoint. Sigh No More features 12 folk-tinged indie anthems that each has the potential to capture the heart of the listener. The songs are all about love, both bitter and sweet. On the calmer numbers such as “Timshel” the four men show their knack for harmonies, and elsewhere on songs such as “The Cave” and “Roll Away Your Stone” they bring an air of the spectacular to the proceedings, whipping themselves up into a barn-dance inducing furor of banjos and bass drums. Singer Marcus Mumford puts enough emotion into his vocals to carry off lines like “I really fucked it up this time, didn’t I my dear?” with complete sincerity, drawing an emotional bond with the listener.
While they bring nothing new to the table, the music that Mumford & Sons make is accessible, heartfelt and memorable and all of those factors make this band irresistible to anyone looking for a good tune outside of mainstream pop. Mumford & Sons deserve to be huge, and with that snowball still rolling in 2010 there’s no reason they won’t be, especially if it makes it across the Atlantic.
