I've been away from the blogosphere for a while, but now that I have a little more time and determination I am going to be doing weekly album reviews to get everyone pumped and ready for fall. There is so much great music out there and my hope is that I can direct you towards a few of the ones that have made an impression on me. My first one is not new, but if somehow you've missed it or haven't given it a listen in a while then I hope this review while inspire you to buy or even dusk off your copy of "Sigh No More" by Mumford and Sons.
The English Quartet's debut offers a great breath of fresh air from the mainstream that usually vies for your musical attention. The quartet begins their record off with the title track "Sigh No More." With Shakespeare inspired lyrics Frontman Mumford encourages listeners to serve God and to love. He not only pulls lyrics from Shakespeare, but also from 1 Corinthians 13; and while it isn't a direct quote from the scriptures, it's paraphrase that challenges the listener none the less.
From there the band pushes into one of their biggest hits "The Cave." This song transcends its melody and pulls on the heartstrings of the listener by telling the audience that "I will hold on hope, and I won't let you choke on that noose around your neck, and I''ll find strength in pain, and I will change my ways and know my name as it's called again." The lyrics evoke a sense of genuine love and a call to arms for the audience to love and to endure through pain so that we, as people, can help those around us who are in need. A theme of spirituality weaves its way intricately throughout the record with songs like "Awake My Soul" and "Timshel." Mumford dared to go beyond the usual of just normal bubblegum love songs and to openly put his heart on the line for the listener.
Mumford also touches on the topic of broken love. With songs such as "Little Lion Man" and "Winter Winds" he describes scenes where love can in some cases be lost and that, believe it or not, the cause for the heartbreak can be our own fault. In "Little Lion Man" Mumford tells his listener that it was "your heart on the line and I messed it up this time." He does what many artists do not do, he blames himself.
If for some reason you've yet to check out "Sigh No More" then you must head on over to your nearest bookstore and make sure you purchase a copy of this album. Its music is full of rich folk melodies that will make you want to scream along with it and also at the same time cause you to bow your head in reverence to the beauty of what is being said and how it is being portrayed through the music.
Thanks for reading and stayed tuned for my next post which will be about The Fray's self-titled second album.
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