Holy fucking wow
I didn’t think I could love and respect this man more, but after following Marcus Mumford’s journey with this new album I am in awe of how he has rumbled with his vulnerability (to quote Brené Brown) and given us the honor of letting us into his experience.
Each song hits powerfully and is hauntingly beautiful in its own unique way while still carrying the story/general vibe of the album.
The album begins with “Cannibal” which focuses on the sexual abuse Mumford experienced as a child. A blistering, raw song that doesn’t sugar coat what happened to him while depicting his struggle to work through the trauma and find release. Which comes when the slow acoustic vibe of the tune is replaced with a crescendo of aggressive guitar strumming and drums (a classic Mumford vibe change).
Track number 2, “Grace” follows with a twangy, country quality, describing the conversation Mumford had with his mother. She heard him play “Cannibal” through the wall in the house they shared during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and came to listen to him play. A few days later she asked what the song was about and Mumford was shocked to learn that he hadn’t shared that with her. “Grace” focuses on how a mother and son were able to have a difficult conversation, and find a deeper connection on the other side.
Each track follows Mumford’s healing process as he inches closer to the freedom of letting go of this traumatic event that shaped much of his life.
The album ends with the song “How” that repeats lines from “Cannibal”, giving the whole 10-song album a beautiful and poignant ending. One that speaks of closure and a new sense of freedom that he now carries with him.
Each time I listen to the album I have a new favorite, today it’s “Go In Light” featuring Monica Martin, a Chicago-born singer-songwriter with beautiful Billie Holiday-esque vocals. Speaking of features, the artists that sing on this album are mind blowing. Phoebe Bridgers on “Stonecatcher”, Clairo on “Dangerous Game”, and, of course, the impeccable Brandi Carlile on “How.” It’s thrilling to see so many female artists collaborating on this record, a conscious choice according to Mumford, who, in an interview with Zane Lowe, said he chose to work with more female artists because, “it’s been a bit of a sausage fest” in previous creative projects.
The songs have that familiar Mumford & Sons sound, the obvious element being Marcus’s raw vocals, but sonically it has elements of the quartet. A familiarity that may help those who are anxious about Marcus going solo, but the album is fully him.
It’s never easy to discuss sexual abuse, let alone in such a vulnerable manner, and he has risen to the occasion by pushing his creative boundaries further. He’s clearly reached a new level in his artistic journey and I am so excited to see what comes next for him.
No matter what happens in his career, whether it’s more solo work or a new Mumford & Sons album or something completely different, I am so so grateful that he chose to share this work with the world. I think it will be an album that future musicians come to for inspiration when trying to work through their own trauma.
To those who miss Mumford & Sons or are worried what this album means for the band. I hear you, and don’t worry! Mumford and the lads have confirmed that they aren’t breaking up and every interview with Mumford since the announcement of his solo work has echoed this statement.
I also want to remind fans that if they break up, that is ok. They are human beings first and, as fans, we have the responsibility to acknowledge that first and foremost. They won’t always be the same group, and I will continue to support them because I love their art.
If you miss their old sound, listen to their old albums and enjoy! But we do them all a disservice if we listen to their new sounds/projects and bemoan the departure from the old. Art is never stagnant, it is meant to evolve and if it never changes then what’s the point?
Personally, if I hated this new album from Mumford it wouldn’t make a difference on how I see him as a human. He did the hard work of looking internally and facing the dark, scary stuff that we all try to hide from and he grew from it. Any interview you watch with him, you can see that he feels lighter and more free, and that’s a win in my book. The bonus is that we have this beautiful album that he decided to share with us, and I couldn’t be more grateful.
Autumn Micketti 