Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More
In about 2000 or so, my then girlfriend (now fiancée) moved to London a few months behind me in order to go to South Bank University. She was in halls, and occasionally – despite the smallest single bed in the world – I would go and stay over. She had a little micro stereo bought special to take away to uni, and one of the CDs we would frequently play on it was David Gray’s White Ladder, an album which I still unashamedly love to this day. I always remember a quote which was affixed to the case from some reviewer said something like: “…an album that makes you feel better simply by knowing it exists.”
I’ve always felt that was certainly true of White Ladder, but that feeling is totally eclipsed by the peace and warmth exuded by Mumford & Sons’ Sigh No More. This is an absolutely exquisite album from start to finish, and every single note gives me the feeling that I’m sitting round a pub fireplace somewhere in the Cotswolds surrounded by my nearest and dearest, feeling utterly loved and at peace with all the world. From the opening title track to the closing refrains of “After The Storm” there’s not a note out of place, and I challenge even the meanest-spirited of you to listen to songs like “Roll Away Your Stone”, “Winter Winds” and the epic “Dust Bowl Dance” and not feel uplifted. This is without question my album of 2009. (The only question there is whether The Last Vegas tie for the #1 spot…)
If you don’t like this, you don’t like music, and you have no soul.
–c.
I agree with you 100% This album makes me super happy!
Another similar group worth checking out (if you want to go down the folk/country/bluegrass road) is The Avett Brothers.
p.s. good to see the blog post