Babel

Driving banjo and guitar and Marcus Mumford’s strong vocals

After their 2010 breakthrough Sigh No More, Mumford and Sons 2012 follow-up Babel was something I was waiting on the edge of my seat for. And I was not disappointed! It still has their signature sounds—driving banjo and guitar and Marcus Mumford’s strong vocals—but it also shows growth and crafting from the title track to the soft heartfelt songs “Ghost That We Knew” and “Reminder.” They make great use of dynamics to pack a punch from Mumford’s raspy quiet vocal solos to the racous folk explosions in “Babel” or “Broke n Crown”—which might be my favorite.  Fans of The Head and the Heart, the Avett Brothers, or Glen Hansard all might find something to love here.