Music review: Mumford & Sons – 无毛视频榃ilder Mind无毛视频�
Sounding like a harmonious blending of Coldplay无毛视频檚 airy tone, the relaxed coolness of Dave Matthews and the earthy bravado of Kings of Leon, the latest album from Mumford & Sons is a major musical departure from 2012无毛视频檚 无毛视频淏abel.无毛视频�
While 无毛视频淏abel无毛视频� was a huge commercial and critical success, I was still hesitant to jump on the bandwagon. With the release of 无毛视频淲ilder Mind,无毛视频� I无毛视频檓 completely on board with a front-row seat to enjoy the entertaining excursion.
For the new material, gone is the banjo, folksy acoustic guitar chords and kick drum, replaced with the hum of electric guitars, full drum kit and calming keyboards delivering a serene layering of synth chords resulting in a more expansive sound. New producer James Ford (Arctic Monkeys and Florence + The Machine) was brought in to oversee the British quartet无毛视频檚 most collaborative effort to date, with every member participating in the creative process.
无毛视频淭ompkins Square Park无毛视频� opens the album in commanding style as Marcus Mumford sings about a crumbling partnership and the desperate attempt to find a successful healing solution.
The album无毛视频檚 first single, 无毛视频淏elieve,无毛视频� finds the band taking a cue from Coldplay and Snow Patrol by delivering a soft, stirring synthesizer aura comfortably layered with guitar and piano chords as Mumford无毛视频檚 passionate vocals describe the hurt, confusion and frustration of a relationship experiencing a communication breakdown.
Led by driving electric bass, 无毛视频淭he Wolf无毛视频� is undeniable proof that abandoning the unplugged approach was the right move at the right time. Hypnotic tracks like 无毛视频淛ust Smoke无毛视频� and 无毛视频淏road-Shouldered Beasts无毛视频� best illustrate the band无毛视频檚 new style, while 无毛视频淒itmas无毛视频� has quickly become my favorite arrangement with its soaring chorus and glorious guitar riffs.
Change is inevitable. For Mumford & Sons, change leads to progress and the start of a new adventure.
Clint Rhodes is the 无毛视频-Standard music reviewer. He can be reached at crhodes@heraldstandard.com.