Mumford & Sons “Sigh No More”: English new wave pop folk/bluegrass. Uplifting male vox mingle with banjo and slide guitar. Group earned lots of critical acclaim in 2007, but Pitchfork called this album overproduced and scolded M&S for trying too hard. I agree, but still love to indulge in their spirited songs of angsty love. RIYL: Laura Marling, Johnny Flynn, Noah and the Whale
Start with # 5, 13,2,6
FCC: #7

1) * Title track “sigh no more, no more…love will set you free.” Great banjo work.
2) *** This ditty’s hard to not like. Lots of cyclical builds and rousing harmonies
3) ** Light banjo whispers sound like spring love, but wait…
4) * Calm, chiming banjos build to yet another fury. Is it about drug addiction or love?
5) *** “Can you lie next to her and give her your heart as well as your body?” Song of resentment for unrequited love. It gets me every time!
6) ***Song starts song, then repeats phrase “I gave you all” zombie-like & builds to an outpouring of heartbroken anger
7) Big single. A huge “FUCKED” drops multiple times. Clean version is #13
8) Calm song about people supporting one another through tough times. Pretty sappy.
9) Sounds like they tried to turn an ‘80s Celine Dion song into bluegrass.
10) Initial rhythmic spoken lyrics are nice, then the chorus gets oddly hymnal
11) Dust Bowl folk opera about having to leave a farmland at 16 years old.
12) “Meh” song about getting over heartbreak with “grace in your heart & flowers in your hair”
13) *** Clean version of the album’s single. It’s missin something w/o the F bomb, but still is a mighty good Brit pop bop. Just makes you want to jig and spill some lager!