Posted on November 12, 2009 - by Ellie Crean

Mumford & Sons

From the first mellow acoustic guitar sound heard on title track Sigh No More followed by the haunting Fleet Foxes style harmonies, you know that Mumford & Sons have you wrapped into their world of love, heartache and emotion. The song begins apologetically but builds into an uplifting, optimistic crescendo; proclaiming “love will not betray you, dismay or enslave you/ it will set you free”. 

This increasing tempo and change of mood is a running theme throughout the majority of the album, including Awake My Soul and The Cave where words of inspiration and faith are offered – “I’ll find strength in pain” – complimented again by those rising harmonies and twanging folk guitars.

The introduction of horns on Winter Winds greatly emphasises this feeling of hope and Roll Away Your Stone provides an increasingly jolly sound.

One of the standout tracks from Sigh No More is the unforgettable White Blank Page – a heart wrenching song about a lost love where Marcus Mumford’s husky vocals on the line “where was my fault/ in loving you with all my heart?” makes you empathise completely.

I Gave You All begins subtly but climbs to a hateful climax with Mumford’s growling, spitting vocals and crashing electric guitars.

Current single Little Lion Man provides catchy melodies and tales of self loathing and regret – “I really F****d it up this time/ didn’t I?”

Thistle and Weeds and Dustbowl Dance throw up a few surprises in the form of harder, heavier rock through use of thudding pianos, a booming double bass and thundering electric guitars.

After The Storm brings relief from the “storm” of instruments heard in the previous song (Dustbowl Dance) and leaves you with one final optimistic message about coping with life’s difficulties.

Sigh No More is a triumphant, hopeful debut and has the power to capture and convey your own emotions as well as those of the band. If you’ve been waiting for that near-perfect debut of 2009, at long last – here it is.

Mumford & Sons- “Sigh no more”

Waiting for our sight:

• What Will Replace MTV? (15)
• Our last year of independent? (7)
• Funny Little Bunny (6)
• Christmas Indie Ep from Japan (6)
• Alice Nine (5)