If we were playing Jeopardy (or Tribond/Hexabond) I would give the answer: “This band is comprised of a banjo, a stringed bass, an acoustic guitar, and a keyboard.”
And you, if you were quite keen, would reply: “What is Mumford and Sons?”
Ding ding ding. 1000 points to Gryffindor!
Last night I watched The Road to Red Rocks, the live concert in Colorado interspersed with a documentary of the Gentlemen of the Road tour (that culminated in, yes, Red Rocks).
I’m sure I mentioned previously my un-willingness to listen to Mumford And Sons because…let’s be honest…I judged a book by it’s cover (erm…name).
This is me: “Mumford and Sons? Is that like Sanford and Sons?” (If you don’t know, Sanford and Sons is a 1972 sitcom that I’ve actually seen a few times, but wasn’t drooling over).
So I put off listening to them and that silly “The Cave” song. How boring. A song about a cave. Pass!
Until I got to England. Yes, all good things happened to me in England. My friend and I had were passing good songs back and forth and she mentioned that “Cave” song again. Fine, fine. I’ll listen to it. Later.
Later actually did come around one night (when I was coding my website…obvs). Between that first listening of The Cave and my crazy obsession now…I’m not sure what happened.
Sigh No More, their first full album (there were some EPs before it) released 5 Oct 2009. So I was almost a full 2 years behind the Mumford and Sons bandwagon. Whoops. Their next album, Babel, was just released on 21 Sept 2012. And you better believe I was downloading that puppy at midnight GMT (I couldn’t wait until midnight in America…I had to do it at midnight in England).
So what has launched Mumford and Sons to fame just on one album? Is it the folksy instruments? Marcus Mumford’s voice? The lyrics? (Which were 100% penned by the group without the help of outside writers).
I’m not sure yet. All I know is that when Babel starts playing, my body starts swaying and my foot occasionally might stomp a beat or two. And when White Blank Page comes on…I may or may not weep a bit. Seriously…can you hear that gravel-y-ness in his voice?
I should probably just end this now because it might end up going on and on like when I talk about Sherlock.
In other news, 3 of us from work are going shooting (photos, not guns) over lunch today down in the Metroparks. Should produce something worthy, I hope!