Album Review: Mumford & Sons - Wilder Mind

Mumford & Sons are arguably the spearhead of the Americana/folk resurgence that we have been privileged to bear witness to in recent years, but they left the scene almost two years ago.

The new age folk aficionados are back, and with a whole new approach to their sound. Markedly more “electric” than the albums they produced before their hiatus, Wilder Mind sees far more in the way of reverbed, crunchy guitars than banjo, which appears to make no appearance in the album at all. This might come as a rude surprise to some listeners, however it is good to remember that it takes a bold musician to make such a contestable decision.

The first single off the album, Believe, begins in an ethereal manner, with sparse sonic room for Marcus Mumford’s voice, building into a cataclysmic pounding of drums and ringing chords. As a single it will do (and has already done) very well, but as a contribution to the album it leaves a certain something to be desired, not quite stacking up to the album’s second single, The Wolf.

Overall, Mumford & Sons have put out an incredibly strong comeback album. It gets decidedly better put-together as it progresses, and flows well. The group has made a logical step in their sound, toeing the very easily trampled line between well written modern music and ‘just another boring indie album’. Wilder Mind is certainly the former.