Within eight years, the London-originated band Mumford & Sons has had six Grammy nominations and won the British Album of the Year, Top Alternative Album at the Billboard Music Awards. With this many accomplishments, a fan would assume their most recent album, “Wilder Minds” (released May 4), would have at least one breakout song.
Unfortunately, that is not the case with the band’s third studio album.
The only notable songs are pre-released singles, such as “Believe,” which only holds the 79th spot in the Billboard Top 100. The band’s signature sound is carried out through the album, but it does not sound any different than their previous works. Generally, all the songs on this album seem to have the same melody, and it ended up being dull — to say the least.
Mumford & Sons has a distinct and recognizable sound that is definitely undeniable. Their light mix of bluegrass, folk music, and alternative beats and melodies made them climb to the charts to begin with. Their style is unique, but the musical variation within their music lacks significantly.
However, one song that was a pleasant surprise within the monotonous album was “Monster.” It was the first track in the lineup, and vaguely resembled John Mayer, an American singer/songwriter. Lead singer Marcus Mumford’s laid-back indie voice was calm and soothing, with simplistic guitars and drums in the background.
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
With this album, it’s safe to say I was disappointed. I expected variation and a new favorite song that would be stuck in my head all week. Mumford & Son’s album Wilder Minds could have been even better than the previous, but it seemed rushed and all too familiar. When the entire album sounded like one, hour long song, it was time to call it quits and play something else.