Mumford and Sons can see right through you

So when I was thinking as hard as I possibly could about the best albums of 2009 (which I finally decided upon), there was one that stuck in my frontal lobe without me even having to retrieve it from the recesses of my year long memory. This album, Sigh No More by the London band Mumford and Sons, drop kicked my heart right into my throat from the first break neck paced, screaming tempo change on the first track to the very last .

And the cool part? One of the backbones of this recklessly good band is banjo. The racing strings are held together by the persistent, old timey tone of the banjo rolling on into oblivion. This is no gentle banjo strum by some indie band trying for some Americana cred. This is banjo played with flying fingers, and solid understanding of how much this instrument can add. It’s not a cute little gimmick; it’s a blood churning, foot stomping, instrument of power.

The rawness in the vocals of Mumford and Sons ties together the rooted nature of their 2009 album. The emotion tempered by wisdom tells of the accepted clarity and regret that comes with hindsight, and the incredible leaps people have to take to find themselves in new territory. It’s a concept album on the road ahead, and how maybe the best thing to do is barrel forward with some hot licks on your heels and melodies whistling in your ears.

Highly. Highly. Recommended.

Roll Away Your Stone- Mumford and Sons

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