Like the entire world, we enjoyed Mumford & Sons’ first two albums. Marcus Mumford’s work on Showtime’s Another Day, Another time: Celebrating The Music of Inside Llewyn Davis made us committed fans. And, the New Basement Tapes? Please and thank you.
With great anticipation, we awaited the band’s third album, Wilder Mind. But then, the band started releasing singles. They lacked something—primarily, the folk. The band apparently sought a fresh, more electric sound. But fresh isn’t the most apt descriptor. “Believe” sounded like Cold Play, which is bad. “The Wolf” sounded like Foo Fighters, which is better than Cold Play but not Mumford & Sons.
Wilder Mind was released in early May. We’ve listened and listened; it has grown on us. Unsurprisingly, the early releases—those intended to be chart-toppers—rank among our least favorite. But the album’s got gems in “Just Smoke” and “Ditmas.” Try as the band might, it couldn’t extinguish the folk.
We give Wilder Mind a B-. Here’s our ranking of the songs, best to worst.
1. Just Smoke
2. Ditmas
3. Only love
4. Monster
5. Hot Gates
6. Snake eyes
7. Broad-Shouldered Beasts
8. The Wolf
9. Cold Arms
10. Wilder Mind
11. Tompkins Square Park
12. Believe
Of course, none of those new songs can touch this one.