"Love that will not betray you, dismay or enslave you, it will set you free. Be more like the man you were made to be."
I like music. I like it a lot. I’m also a bit of a music whore. I go through about six or seven bands a week, taking them in, embracing them, and then leaving them to out to dry with a sad play-count of a mere 1 or 2. Hence why I have a music collection of over 10,000 songs. Hence why it is on my life list to ensure that I listen to every single one of those songs and give them a fair chance. I have this strange, instinctual need to give every album, no matter how embarrassing, a fair trial. I can’t just get one song, I need to get the entire album because you never know when you’re going to find a hidden treasure that will make your next mixtape brilliant. It is a curse and a blessing.
I give you all that background to show you how impressive it is when a band stops me in my musical tracks and gets me to listen to it for more than a week on repeat. Or, in this case, almost four months now. Mumford and Sons has beat out falsetto-singing Icelandic men and Irish-pop rock ballads to secure a place as my favourite band of all time*. I know that’s a brave thing to say considering we’ve only known each for a total of 6 months, but when you know, you know, and I think this is a step we are ready to take.
Why you ask? Well, I present: Ten Reasons Why You Should Lend Your Heart to Mumford and Sons:
1. Phenomenal banjo skills. That’s really enough to end the list right here.
2. Their band has its own coat of arms, and that coat of arms has a lion on it.
3. Powerful builds. I will always be a sucker for a good build and they do not disappoint.
4. Their lead singers name is Marcus Mumford. How deliciously alliterative is that?
5. In their concerts, each member of the band alternates moving around to different instruments because they are that cool.
6. They’re associated with Laura Marling and Noah and the Whale
7. Their album “Sigh No More” has been on Canadian Itunes’ Top 10 Charting Albums for months now. I check that list on a daily basis and I have never seen an album on there as long as this one.
8. They quote Shakespeare and Steinback in their lyrics.
9. They have one of the cutest most addictive engagement songs ever written called “She Said Yes”. Note, do not listen to this song if you are about to go into a final: you will not be able to get it out of your head.
10. Their lyrics are so awesome that there are hundreds of forums on their website of people discussing them.
Mumford and Sons wins my heart for many reasons, but what sets them apart for me is their lyrics. It is rare for a secular band with no claims to religion to sing out lines that have impacted my faith a lot more than most Christian bands ever could. The Parental Advisory sticker may have you leaning away from them, but, blame my intrinsic need to rebel, that makes me love them all the more. Raw is the best word to describe it. Here are some of their lyrics from their song “Roll Away Your Stone”:
“Cause you told me that I would find a hole.
Within the fragile substance of my soul
And I have filled this void with things unreal,
And all the while my character it steals
Darkness is a harsh term don’t you think?
And yet it dominates the things I see
It seems that all my bridges have been burned,
But you say that’s exactly how this grace thing works
It’s not the long walk home that will change this heart,
But the welcome I receive with the restart”
Their songs “The Cave”, “Sigh No More”, and “Awake My Soul” are just a few more examples of beautifully written lyrics that are powerful and strikingly relevant. I know it’s silly to review a band that I’m pretty sure anyone reading this has already heard of, but I just can’t help myself. Normally, the more popular a band becomes the less attractive they are due to my conformist need to be indie, but, in this case, I entirely embrace their well-knownedness. They are just that good that everyone should know about them. Their lyrics defined my summer in many ways and will continue to alter and affect me as I find more and more of their stuff. They are nominated for a Best New Artist Grammy this year and the saddest thing is that the probably won’t win seeing as they’re up against Justin Beiber (as well as Florence and the Machine, who is, at least, a worthy opponent). But still, I will hold on hope and take solace in the fact that they made Best New Artist in my heart (feel free to groan) and have managed to secure a permanent appearance on my Top 25 Most Played playlist.
Hold On To What You Believe - Mumford and Sons
*This rank may be subject to change.
5 comments:
Excellent reasons. What is the Steinbeck quote, just out of curiosity? He is sometimes my very favourite, you see.
I agree that Mumford has quality lyrics. Where do you rank Modest Mouse then? They have the most vicious turns of phrase I can think of. Of course I'm deeply in love with the brilliant observational lyrics of the Arctic Monkeys. Then there are the cerebral ones by Pink Floyd, always impressive. Any thoughts on these or others?
In general, I'd have to say that most bands have unanimously bad poetry. Even bands I love. Much of The Beatles, for example. Oh, and as an extreme example, The Kooks are hilariously bad. "The Kooks around, in this street/ oh we're gonna steal your skies." Still cracks me up.
Basically, are lyrics usually the main thing for enjoying a band?
a) you should probably have included a "parental advisory" sticker with your mumford & sons promo.
b) i just downloaded "she said yes".
c) i also like them quite a bit. my imagination is currently most captured by agnus & julia stone.
b) should have said, "i just tried to download "she said yes" but it's not on iTunes.
Ben, sorry I don't know what the direct Steinback quote, I've only ever read Of Mice and Men by him. I'm thoroughly aware he's your favourite so I wouldn't want to embarrass myself by guessing.
As for Modest Mouse. Sigh, I'm just not there yet. I have been trying to like them for approx 3 years now and every few months I'll go back and try to listen to their songs again to see if I like them but I just can't... yet. Most of the bands that I now love took a while for me to get there so maybe this is just one of them. In fact Modest Mouse is on my list of music I want to learn to love including: Arctic Monkeys (oddly enough), Arcade Fire, Tegan and Sara, Muse, Metric, mewithoutyou, and Radiohead, among others. All it takes is time. As for Pink Floyd, I am not old enough nor classically hardcore enough to appreciate them. When my father started belting out all the words I knew that was a wagon I couldn't jump on. And yes, you and your Kooks :)
Are lyrics usually the main thing? No. I think they are a huge contributor, but not the main. When a band is popular like Mumford and Sons it is the lyrics that help set it apart from typical, produced garbage. But seeing as a lot of my favourite songs are instrumental, I definitely can't say lyrics are the main thing. They just really really really help.
Kerry: a) Really? I already mentioned in the post that they have a PA sticker, plus it is only for one song on the whole album. b) I'm sorry. Were end up able to get it? c) Me too :) Just not quite as much.
I agree with all of the above, but that's not why I'm commenting. I feel the need to ensure that you know that my coat of arms also has a lion on it. You can add that to your list of reasons you are friends with me.
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