Mumford & Sons

Introduction

Mumford & Sons are on a mission, on a triumphal procession, even, with their latest release, Babel, featuring the first hit single I Will Wait. And it’s funny, the way these Londoners have managed to sell back to America the music America does best. Maybe their Irish and Scottish-tinged tunes sound like music "from the source". But with all respect, these are just nice men with mandolins. When The Cave or Little Lion Man ring out, though, it becomes immediately clear their particular brand of blockbuster bluegrass has life in it! Loads of it, even! Rock-A-Field loved them, Luxembourg loves them… That might (not...) help explain why Mumford & Sons have become one of the beleaguered music industry's good news stories worldwide. Their debut album, Sigh No More, snared a Brit, and became, after Adele, the UK's must-have new musical export. Rest assured, M&S (and it IS an unfortunate abbreviation) are not a band who might suddenly recant their acoustic ways and seek out some dubstep fettling. And yes, the Mumfords do sound like a cross between the stomp and clamour of Arcade Fire and Coldplay's brow-furrowed yearning. Beware of their anodyne din, live they kick... bottom, let’s say.