Mumford & Sons - Wilder Mind

Mumford & Sons are back with a new album after a short break from their hugely successful album Babel (2012). There's a twist: they've dropped the banjo, acoustic strumming and kick drum in favor of electric guitars, synthesizers and a more stadium-rock sound. The album's songwriting is shared between the band members instead of Marcus Mumford mostly writing the lyrics by himself. The band also recently played the entire album in an intimate gig.

Here's a couple of interviews about the album:
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/f...ng-electric-on-new-album-wilder-mind-20150302
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/f...-zeppelin-inspired-liberating-new-lp-20150309

Here's the tracklist:

1. "Tompkins Square Park"
2. "Believe"
3. "The Wolf"
4. "Wilder Mind"
5. "Just Smoke"
6. "Monster"
7. "Snake Eyes"
8. "Broad-Shouldered Beasts"
9. "Cold Arms"
10. "Ditmas"
11. "Only Love"
12. "Hot Gates"

Here's the first single, "Believe":

[video=youtube;dW6SkvErFEE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dW6SkvErFEE[/video]

I'm personally not a fan of the band, but I found it interesting that they've quickly moved to a "new, different" stage quickly compared to other bands. The single's alright, but it'll take me a while to digest. The reception to the song is polarized, with some comparisons to Coldplay.​

 

I've never been a big fan of these guys. Though not necessarily a bad song, it's certainly nothing special.

 

Definitely sounds like Coldplay but it's better than anything on Babel and it's a welcome change.

 

That is true.

 

I enjoy the new song. Excited to see what they put out.

 

There were similar bands before them and there will be after, but you must admit people swagger jacked Mumford HARDCORE after they came out. They, more than any other folk band, is responsible for the current four-on-the-floor "record the kick drum by jumping on a wooden pallet" folk-pop that is huge right now in all genres.

So I don't blame them for hoping off the sound after two albums. Babel was basically Meteora. A "We can do this all day" type album. They are musically talented, no reason they should restrict themselves to their faux-folk roots.

 

I agree.

 

Two new singles are out, "The Wolf" and "Snake Eyes". "The Wolf" has a Foo Fighters vibe to it, but I like "Snake Eyes" a lot. It starts with a slow burn before building up.

[video=youtube;BsP-MjIueL4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsP-MjIueL4[/video]
[video=youtube;eGeSO84aDBE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGeSO84aDBE[/video]