Mumford and Sons’ new album Babel marks the triumphant return of a band whose revolutionising of the rock-folk genre earned them a place at the top and marked them out as one of the defining bands of our generation. This latest musical offering is packed with delicious melodies and the subtle literary and biblical references that make their sound so rich.
But with their first album Sigh No More going platinum four times in the UK and twice in the US, has this new creative chapter managed to find fresh material to work with? The answer is a resounding “yes”.
Whilst Babel has maintained the band’s essential sound, this is the work of a bolder, less tentative Mumford and Sons. Babel (literally meaning ‘jumble’) is, of course, a reference to the Hebrew name for the city of Babylon and its tower, thought to be the origin of all languages.
Certainly, there are many voices and sounds all mixed into one united noise that is Mumford and Sons. Particularly prevalent is the obvious influence on the band of their recent time spent in Nashville, Tennessee.
The title track ‘Babel’ is an explosion of joy, tempered with the sophistication and control of a matured band that have developed into something truly grown-up and self-assured.
The album bravely progresses with a balance of brawling audacity and haunting beauty. Just as ‘Little Lion Man’ and ‘The Cave’ did on Sigh No More, ‘I Will Wait’ has already enjoyed success as a single with the mournful and exploratory track ‘Hopeless Wanderer’, the haunting ‘Whispers in the Dark’ and the penultimate ‘Below My Feet’ tipped to follow.
From start to finish, Babel really is a colossus, a tour-de-force that eclipses anything else that has come before it. It has secured Mumford and Sons’ place in the annals of both great folk and rock music and points to things still to come. Mumford and Sons will be around for a while yet – watch this space.