Mumford & Sons | Wilder MindEmpty Bottle Evenings

May052015May 5, 2015May 5, 20151 Commentby Bake

Mumford & Sons | Wilder Mind

Posted in Music

Everyone is supposed to hate this album. A good amount of people had already taken a stance against Mumford & Sons due to their overnight success and the over-saturation of their first two albums. Also they were British. Goddamn redcoats. But even the biggest fans of folky four piece were warned in advance of the dreaded “new direction” coming soon. When their first single “Believe” was released and early reviews began to trickle out featuring comparisons to Coldplay and U2 it seemed like it would be curtains for this band. Such a short career. How tragic.

After actually listening to Wilder Mind, let me cliche smack you with a little ‘reports of their demise were greatly exaggerated’ . Yes, Mumford & Sons ditched the banjo for their 3rd album, but they have demonstrated that they can still write solid pop-rock songs. And if you were to go back and replace their older songs with guitar instead of the instrument most associated with them that is exactly what you would get. This was and still is a pop-rock band whether you hear anyone strumming a banjo or not. And that’s okay. It’s just more obvious now that they are not in fact the Americana/Roots/Folk Revival band that they were hailed as. You don’t have to hate this band now and you don’t have to go to the Coldplay show now just because you admit that you like their new sound. Even if there is an unwanted touch of Chris Martin lingering over this album that won’t go away like axe body spray in the air. A little bit goes long way. Too fucking long you might argue.

Upon my first listen I didn’t think this was now the era of Mumford-Play but based on the rhythm section and keys it sounded like they (like myself) fell in love with The National’s Trouble Will Find Me. Of course, this should have been obvious as I read today that it was produced by multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and producer for The National, Aaron Dessner. Listening to opening song, “Tompkins Square Park” it’s Marcus Mumford’s voice alone that let’s the audience know which band this is playing over those distinctive moody bass lines and distorted guitars. While hearing Wilder Mind’s title track it’s even more impossible to ignore Dessner’s keyboard playing over the that familiar drum and bass style. If people had warned me beforehand that this was going to sound like Mumford’s take on “Graceless” or “Sea of Love”, I would have been stoked. I think mostly everyone else wouldn’t have freaked out either anticipating the The National’s influence instead of U2’s. Sure there would be some detractors who couldn’t appreciate a huge arena rock band ripping off Brooklyn’s favorite indie band even if they were the ones that helped them do it, but fuck ’em.

Anyway, it’s not a complete rip off. There are still songs like “Just Smoke” or “Broad-Shouldered Beasts” that are similar to songs from the last two Mumford & Sons albums. And sure, often on this record Mumford does sing in a deeper, understated tone like Matt Berninger, but at other moments, when it’s not poppy like Martin, it is trembling like a late career Peter Gabriel. Fortunately, his voice is dynamic enough to not sound out of place whatever direction he goes in. Lyrically, there is a welcome change away from religious themes even if they are replaced by sad love songs. Musically, they are still alternating slow build-ups (think “Below My Feet”) on songs like “Only Love” with abrupt and loud musical shifts a la “Hopeless Wanderer” ( this time around we have “Snake Eyes”), both paired with their enormous choruses. And while there is no jangly folk element to get you out of your seat, alternative arena rockers like “Ditmas” and “The Wolf” are huge sounding and enjoyable enough to get some crowds jumping up and down and clapping.

As for the leery fans afraid of the style change, I understand. I don’t blame you. You’re in a safe place now. And I’m not just pandering when I say it, but I fucking love the banjo too. Probably half of the bands I write about on this site have at least featured the banjo on a handful of their songs. If they kept their sound from the debut, I would have happily purchased Sigh No More Part III. But when the guys playing the instruments began to hate them, it’s probably a good time for a change. Wilder Mind is a different album, but a good album nonetheless. And if nothing else it gives me hope that this band is willing to make different types of music and not totally suck doing it; a truly under-appreciated skill. Hopefully they can hook up with a producer of another great band and impressively duplicate their sound next. And if they throw in a little banjo on a few tracks, hey I won’t complain.