Nine years ago, Mumford and Sons soared into our collective consciousness with their now legendary “Little Lion Man”. It was an unlikely contender for a top ten song; folky and vibrant among the usual cotton candy pop and hard rap songs which were the soundtrack to school dances everywhere.
Mumford and Sons produced two more albums afterwards, however, none of those singles had the sort of lasting impact that “Little Lion Man” once had. Their last record “Wilder Mind” came out three years ago. Three years doesn’t sound like much, but it is long enough for many artists to lose any impact they might have had.
This has fortunately not been the case for Mumford and Sons. With “If I Say”, the second single off their upcoming album Delta, Mumford and Sons remind us of what we once realized with “Little Lion Man”. This band has the power to make folk music just as scintillating as any other genre.
Of course, this is not to say that the albums which were released in the interim between Sigh No More and Delta were poor quality. Quite the opposite. Everything that Mumford and Sons put out is painstakingly crafted, from the bluegrass-influenced instrumentals to the literary-inspired lyrics.
With Delta, Mumford and Sons have spoken about their return to acoustic instruments, however this time they bring something different. Experimentation incorporating everything from hip-hop to electronica. What this creates is something both familiar and new. A memory of a favorite band that you may have forgotten about but are now relieved to find again.
If “If I Say” and “Guiding Light” are any indication, Delta, out November 16, heralds a return to form for Mumford and Sons. Nine years later, and we couldn’t be happier to say, welcome back.