Sigh No More
By Mumford and Sons
There are a few special moments in one’s life when a music discovery is made and their tastes are changed forever. That rare moment introduces something so new, so exciting, so overwhelming, that all other tastes are forgotten. Something about that instant moves you in such a way that the thought “why didn’t I hear this before?” comes to mind and practically causes heartache. That moment occurred in 2009 when I heard Little Lion Man.
I was not the only one with a eureka moment for acoustic guitars and banjos. Sigh No More gave pop listeners tired of Justin Timberlake and Lady Gaga exactly what they wanted. Are they rock? Are they folk? Are they whatever “indie” is? Perhaps some bastard offspring of Flogging Molly and the Avett Brothers? Yes, to all of the above.
However Mumford and Sons, a band from West London, are not quite the country barn burners their sound and absurd music videos portray. At times they sound like city boys playing covers from O Brother Where Art Thou. They may not be original, but who cares? They popularized Nu-Folk.
The album is filled with hits but is not without its duds. Its namesake first song is basically a knockoff of the power hitters that follow. Beginning the murderers row of tracks is “The Cave”. A song beloved by all and which single-handedly introduced a new generation of guitar players to open tuning. Next, adding a tasteful horn section in “Winter Winds” gives the ears a deserved break, with its swells offering goosebumps with each chorus. Finally, “Roll Away Your Stone” rocks like the Irish pubs in which it deserves to be played.
The major hit on the album is of course “Little Lion Man”, with its off beat rhythm and four part harmonies giving teenagers everywhere the best reason to scream “FUCK!” as loud as they want while singing along in the car. Unfortunately, the B-side is rather lacking with “Awake My Soul’s” harmonies doing exactly that after sleeping through “Timshel” and “Thistle and Weeds”.
Perhaps I’m nostalgic, or maybe I have a repressed desire to learn the banjo, rock suspenders and grow a mustache while sipping small batch whiskey. Sigh No More is Great. The A-side rocks and the B-side allows you to get up, refill your Woodford Rye neat, and discuss whether Mumford sold out by going electric on Delta or if they were always sellouts. Either way, enjoy the banjos.
Best song: “Little Lion Man” and “The Cave”
Tom’s Favorite: Winter Winds and White Blank Page (do they change the time signature at the end? Please discuss.)