Marcus Mumford is a lot of things. A stoic. A preacher’s son. A Brit. An American. A philosopher. A drummer. A guitarist. A lead singer. A reluctant front man. A husband to an Oscar nominee. And now, a solo artist. With the release of self-titled, Marcus Mumford not only crosses the Rubicon of what broke up the Beatles but compliments a folk movement of what Dylan started long ago when he was forever young (Brandon validate my pun).
self-titled has drawn comparisons to artists you know and love: Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan & Tom Petty. And while you might be saying, “Wow, I love those artists,” the album features a strong accompaniment of up-and-coming talent: Phoebe Bridgers, Monica Martin, Clairo, and Brandi Carlile. The album has the ambiance of everything you’d know, love, and expect from Marcus Mumford. An exquisite blend of bard-yard bangers and a foray into the melancholic indie tunes. All of this is to say that you’ll probably like the album. That is if you like independent-folk, sad-boi, philosophical rock-n-roll.
The writing present in the album is reminiscent of a poet who has spent too much time with a guitar. The album’s opening track, “Cannibal,” illustrates this perfectly. Never trying to accomplish too much musically yet nailing the awe simplistic grandeur in an honest lyric which captivates a Dylan performance (Brandon might have a strong take about how well Bob Dylan performs). The chorus echoes in simplicity yet the secrets which become exposed cut deep, both personally for Mumford and as an audience member. In “Cannibal,” Mumford contemplates the complicated feelings of being gaslighted and his own struggle to find inner acceptance. And while a reveal like this might seem heavy, Mumford promises the process of recording, performing, and releasing the song has been therapeutic. Profoundly more poignant powerful is the chorus as it echoes, “If I could forgive you now/Release you from all of the pain I know how/If I could forgive you now/As if saying the words will help me know how/To begin again.”
From such a heartfelt opening, where do you go from there? Let “Grace” lead you there. Opening with, “Well, how should we proceed/Without things getting too heavy.” Which supplements the playful turn with a stomp and holler melody. Mumford goes on to sing, “And I hear there’s healing just around this corner.” Which is a larger reason of why I am a huge fan of this album. Mumford showcases his depth and resilience. A willingness to move on, albeit at his own pace, and accept fate while acting with his own free will. The song features and awesome vamp if you’re into that sort of thing (I heard Brandon loves a good Bob Dylan vamp).
“Prior Warning” hits like a therapeutic trip of trauma into the bittersweet memories of an Ed Sheeran song. The song makes you feel the anxiety of coming clean to your favorite person about your darkest secret. You cannot run away forever. Mumford is quick to acknowledge this by saying, “I’m running out of parts that I can play/not the hero, not the dodger, not the preacher’s son.” And with this brutal honesty Mumford illustrates what makes self-titled different. These are his words, not the words of his band that he can hide behind.
One of my favorite tracks off of self-titled is, “Only Child.” The simple guitar plucking reverberates the painful message behind ballad. I won’t spoil this one, just give it a listen.
And while most of the aforementioned album seems to be about accepting the memories you cannot erase, “Better Angels” provides a different take to Mumford’s self-titled meditations. The song features a coming clean tale of a rock star who is willing to look at himself in the mirror and change. You’ve got to love a redeeming character arc.
“Go In Light” may be my favorite collaboration on self-titled. Monica Martin’s accompaniment complements the allure of a siren song. I never would have thought I could jam out to a refrain of “Go in/Go in light” but hey, here we are.
“Stonecatcher” featuring Phoebe Bridgers calls to god asking the tough questions which comes through personal acceptance. I love the lyrics in this one because of all the stoic energy it exudes. You can practically get your daily dose of Meditations by Marcus Aurelius from it.
After all of Marcus’ musings, he closes on a heartfelt “How.” Trauma, self-acceptance, and the painful journey Marcus takes you through in self-titled isn’t an easy one. In many ways, this album was for him (no kidding it was a solo album). But its also for those with a dark past or a feeling they cannot easily shake away. “But I forgive you know/Release you from all of the pain I know how/And I forgive you now/As if saying the words will help me know how/Please help me know how” cuts through a valley of torment and promises acceptance if you’re willing to work for it.
I give the album 8/10, 4.5/5, two or three thumbs up, or a Brandon Slone nod of approval – whichever carries the greatest weight. The album never sacrifices the acoustic bard-yard-folk which has characterized the success of Mumford and Sons. And, it proves to be more heartfelt and emotional than anything his band’s namesake would ever release. Listen to it in the fall on a nice drive while the leaves
are changing colors. Let them blow in the wind, for the times are changing and when you are knockin’ on heaven’s door you’ll need to not think twice, cause it’s all right. And this album is all right. So, contemplate, relate, and set a date to listen to this album.
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Do you think Brandon likes Bob Dylan as much as me? Comment below!
- Botts
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