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The barn dancing Mumford & Sons are no longer. Instead, in their place is a rougher, harder sounding band entirely. This new sound has put the band in a whole new direction, which will see them ditching the tweed for leather jackets, pickup trucks for motor bikes and sees them swapping their banjos and kick drum in favour of electric instruments, and we get a little taste of what is to follow with the first single of their new era ‘Believe’.
Every good band evolves, look at how The Beatles went from Mop tops with really basic song writing about dating, girls and relationships, while their later albums dealt with much more elaborate and let’s be honest downright bizarre ideas, which completely left behind their basic song writing styles. Their entire image was abandoned in favour of long hair, beards, and a whole lot of drugs.
Now we’re definitely not saying that Mumford & Sons are on the same level as the Fab Four; there aren’t many bands out there that are, but what we’re saying is evolution is only natural. Isn’t it a huge risk to muddle with a recipe that’s seen the band notch copious amount of awards, and platinum sales left right and centre? In one word, no. First single ‘Believe’ shows that the band know exactly what they’re doing.
‘Believe’ is nothing like we’ve ever heard from the lads who brought folk music back into the current era. The initial rolling flow of the single helped to make something about it feel accustomed as it gave off a sense of Coldplay and U2. We weren’t quite sure where it was gonna take us. However, once the electricity kicked in – just after half way through the song – we hear a piercing electric guitar howl through the song like a wolf seeing a helpless vulnerable sheep for the first time. The new plugged-in soundscape sees the song shoot skywards. From their onwards the song only gets better.
To some extent with this first new single, their old style is still with them. There are still wonderfully well-crafted lyrics, as this tale of love, smoothly unfolds a partner who’s not telling the full story. The straightforward chorus which is only boosted after the mid-way point on the song urges, “I don’t even know if I believe anything you’re trying to say to me, this is never gonna go our way if I have to guess what’s on your mind.” It’s simple, upfront, and a feeling that relates to everyone.
The vocals as well still have the raspy, heartfelt, raw, and gruffly tone to it, which was one of the keys to the band’s success on previous albums Sigh No More and Babel, and these vocals are only enhanced by the new found sound.
The Mumfords have managed to use their new adopted synthetic sounds to generate a sense of power and energy that’s hard to resist. The banjo has departed, and the electric has arrived with a real sense of assurance in the air, and we can’t wait for the band’s third offering ‘Wilder Mind’.