Gone are the banjos, stand-up bass and fiddle: the British band Mumford & Sons has replaced them with electric guitars and a drum kit on their new album “Wilder Mind,” released on May 4.
The band has gone through its fair share of issues in the last few years: performances had to be cancelled due to bassist’s Ted Dwayne’s health issues and the band also took a hiatus from September 2013 to February 2014 until the band got back together to start writing new material. This new material was promised to be different—and they weren’t wrong.
Mumford’s first two albums—“Sigh No More” and “Babel”—both showcased the band’s trademark folk style, full of foot stomping and rollicking banjos that later influenced artists like Phillip Phillips and can even be seen in songs like “Wake Me Up” by Avicii.
“Wilder Mind,” in comparison, ditches all acoustic instruments except for the occasional piano for a sound closer to indie-rock than folk.
They released the first single off the album, “Believe,” on March 9. It’s an atmospheric song that sounds more like Coldplay than Mumford & Sons, full of guitar effects reminiscent of “Intro” by the XX. “Believe” sets the stage for the changes Mumford brought to this album, but it isn’t necessarily representative of the rest of the album. It’s indie-folk-rock of a variety already done by Coldplay, Kodaline and others. While “Wilder Mind” carries these influences throughout the album, it focuses more on steady beats and an electrified version of Mumford’s previous formula.
“Tompkins Square Park,” the first song on the album sets the pace for Mumford & Son’s new sound better than their first single. Electric bass and a drum kit drive the song as lead singer Marcus Mumford sings about a failed relationship in this song named after a New York City park. As a representation of the album, “Tompkins Square Park” is a strong one. It shows Mumford’s ability to change, but still keep some of their personality.
Their folk roots continue to show through in some of their songs. “Cold Arms” and “Monster,” while still showcasing more electric instruments than Mumford & Sons ever did before, sound more like their past albums, as well as folk band The Lumineers. “Cold Arms” in particular might be the most comforting song to Mumford & Sons fans who weren’t expecting the shift from indie folk to indie folk-rock. It’s the most folk-sounding song on the album, showcasing only electric guitar and Marcus Mumford’s voice.
Producer James Ford, who has worked with the Arctic Monkeys and HAIM, worked with Mumford & Sons on “Wilder Mind,” and it shows. The album is nowhere near as gritty as anything by the Arctic Monkeys, but the ‘70s-influenced beats that pervade HAIM’s songs can be found on “Wilder Mind.”
“Just Smoke” might be the biggest departures from Mumford’s usual sound, so it stands out among the rest of the at times generic indie rock that makes up the rest of “Wilder Mind.”
Moderation has never been Mumford & Son’s strong suit, but their best songs are usually when they tone down the banjo—or in this case, the electric guitar—and quiet it down à la “After the Storm.”
“Monster” is the perfect example. A brutally honest song about a tortured relationship, “Monster” uses the echo-y guitar effects that permeate the whole album sparingly, letting the lyrics shine instead.
“Wilder Mind” isn’t a complete 180 for Mumford, however. Known for the propensity of their songs to start out slow and then build to a maniacal banjo strumming, kick drum-thumping crescendo, they still continue to do that on this album—just with electric guitar and a full drum kit instead.
It’s not quite as revolutionary as Bob Dylan breaking out the electric guitar at the Newport Folk Festival, nor is it their best album, but “Wilder Mind” definitely marks a change for Mumford & Sons. Overall, it’s a solid album, and it’s definitely new for Mumford & Sons, but it doesn’t add anything groundbreaking to the music world.
