First Impressions: Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More
By Kate Cliffen on February 5, 2010
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Mumford & Sons
Sigh No More
Glassnote
Release Date: Feb. 16
Tracklisting:
1. Sigh No More
2. The Cave
3. Winter Winds
4. Roll Away Your Stone
5. White Blank Page
6. I Gave You All
7. Little Lion Man
8. Timshel
9. Thistle & Weeds
10. Awake My Soul
11. Dust Bowl Dance
12. After The Storm
First Impressions:
-West London folk-rock quartet, Mumford & Sons open their debut album with the title track, “Sigh No More.” At first, this feels like a very ambient and atmospheric number – think Fleet Foxes, or a tranquillized version of themselves. A quiet banjo and acoustic guitar stroll contentedly alongside Marcus Mumford’s prevailing vocals. But don’t let that fool you. Before the kick of a bass, an assortment of instruments lift the song upward into a new direction – resulting in a big sound, and something quite magical as Marcus Mumford pipes out, ‘Love that will not betray you / Dismay or enslave you / It will set you free.’
-A lot of the tracks do stick to this ‘build-up’ theme. Especially in “White Blank Page” and “Little Lion Man,” where Mumford sings with old English charm, “I really fucked it up this time / didn’t I, my dear?” And once again, quiet beginnings ease into epic choruses - very much recalling the sound of Arcade Fire.
-In “Winter Winds,” the horns and overall style is also fairly similar to that of Beirut. But sigh no more (sorry), because they definitely put their own stamp on it – it’s an album highlight, and a great track.
-It’s not just build-ups and big choruses. “Roll Away Your Stone,” “The Cave” and “Little Lion Man” have the best banjo hoedowns of them all, guaranteed to whisk you away to a West London barn dance. And in the softer track, “Timshel,” the band shows their natural ability to harmonize as a group.
-Lyrically, Marcus Mumford wears his heart on his Donegal tweed sleeve. Sure, a lot of the songs are seemingly uplifting, but amongst the feel good numbers lay tales of revenge, heartache and hope. In tracks such as “Awake My Soul”, Mumford shows emotion through his lyrics and gravely voice, as he sings, “How fickle my heart and how woozy my eyes / I struggle to find any truth in your lies.”
Key Tracks:
“Sigh No More,” “Winter Winds,” “The Cave,” “Little Lion Man,” “Awake My Soul”
Predictions:
After some high critical acclaim from the U.K. press, as well as a significant impacton the U.K.’s ‘folk-revival’ scene, Sigh No More certainly doesn’t disappoint. This is a truly majestic album; and although the first half is more energetic, and the second half more of a hazy comedown, it’s packed from start to finish with charming, infectious and at times touching folk-rock classics. But ye blatherskites be warned - Marcus Mumford and his banjo-wielding bandits might just capture your heart.
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