by Katie Mercogliano ‘14

If you haven’t heard of the folk-inspired band Mumford & Sons, then you must have been living in a cave, pun intended. Their cannon-shot of a first album, “Sigh No More,” exploded onto the music scene with foot-stomping tunes like “The Cave” and “Little Lion Man.” The anticipated release of their sophomore album, “Babel,” raised several questions of whether it would be able to live up to the critical and commercial success of its predecessor. And to put it simply, it has surpassed all expectations.

“Babel,” released on September 25, is packed full of poetic anthems reminiscent of confession.  Marcus Mumford leads the band with rustic vocals, string-plucking acoustic guitar and a kick drum, creating beats so addictive that listeners can’t help but catch the foot-tapping fever. Evocative lyrics and outstanding harmonizing vocals tug at the heart strings; the acknowledgment of sins, his own and others’ against him, is evident throughout the album and highlighted in the song “Broken Crown.” Mumford’s lyrics paint a picture of the cycle of love, betrayal and forgiveness.

To break up the string of tunes with commanding instrumentals combined with Mumford’s tortured soulful delivery, the standout track “Reminder” is actually the most understated and least lengthy of all 12 songs at just over two minutes. Mumford’s voice is much softer and is accompanied by only strums of an acoustic guitar, opposed to the constant powerhouse vocals, symphony of strings and pounding kick drum in “Hopeless Wanderer” and “I Will Wait.”

“Babel” is “Sigh No More” on steroids with a more robust sound, fit for a sold-out stadium rather than a British pub. Many accuse Mumford & Sons of generating “wannabe” folk music, but they don’t fit into any set genre or category. In  a generation musically defined by auto-tuned divas and meaningless pop lyrics, Mumford & Sons offers a refreshing, folk-rock sound they made entirely their own.