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Tastyfanzine Review

 

A little jewel of a debut release, that manages, over the space of four songs and sixteen minutes, to explore the grand themes of life, love, loss, death, grace and redemption, fire and brimstone.

 

Already receiving well deserved airplay, having been picked up last month by Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie as a Radio 2 single of the week, the band have just played Glastonbury and now continue on a short tour to promote the release.

 

For a taste of how they play live, their MySpace site features some marvellous television footage of the band, with a pared down line up, of guitar, banjo and upright bass, performing a couple of the songs from the single. On record this basic folk/bluegrass line up is augmented by percussion, piano, fiddle, mandolin, accordion, Hammond organ and some sweet vocal harmonies.

 

From the beautiful opening refrain of ‘Roll Away Your Stone’, that belongs somewhere between Ireland and the Appalachians, to the closing chorus of ‘Awake My Soul’ ; between them, Marcus Mumford, Ted Dwayne, Country Winston, Ben Lovett (Bloody Loves It) and Holly Piercy, all fine musicians, have crafted four infectious, confessional, anthems that reward repeated listening. This is bluegrass music for the soul.

 

'Roll Away Your Stone' Live

 

Possibly one of my favourite EP's of the year so far, even though it's only four tracks. :o They're touring with Laura Marling I do believe.

Edited July 24, 200817 yr by Jonny

Indeed - they were single of the week over on Culturedeluxe during the week of release...

 

"Mumford & Sons have been together for only a little over half a year, but have in that time written and perfected enough material for this choice debut EP on Chess Club. Mumford here is lead singer, guitarist AND drummer (how does he manage that live then?) Marcus, flanked by his 'sons' Winston, Ben and Ted.

 

The four tracks perfectly introduce the band's unique sound to the listener, that being a somewhat surprising meeting between fragile, sob-into-your-hanky country balladry and, just sometimes mind, forays deep into hoedown territory (catch the end of 'Awake My Soul' for proof of that). Perhaps the finest track on the EP is 'Liar' which pulls at the heart strings in the same way as a refined Coldplay ballad (albeit re-housed on a Texan ranch) but doesn't fill you with the same longing to punch the lead singer. "