My Amazon Reviews: Mumford and Sons "Wilder Mind"

With nary a banjo in sight.
4 Out Of 5 Stars

In what must feel as divisive as the day Bob Dylan plugged his electric guitar in at the Newport Folk Festival, Mumford and Sons put away all their acoustical instruments and jack in the electrics. I don't see how this album could do anything but divide those fans who listened to "Sigh No More" and "Babel," then come to this. "Wilder Mind" says so long to the banjos and hello to the amplifiers. Is this a good thing? How does the band deal with wanting to step into the shoes of U2?

I don't think it's any secret that Mumford and Sons always wanted to sound big. After all, even with the acoustic guitars, the songs were often all about the bombast. Think of how potent "Lover Of The Light" or "The Cave" are, even behind the sound. They are anthems meant to shake the rafters. A friend of mine even referred to "Babel" as "God and Bombast." Turning the amps up is kind of a natural progression for the band. But I still doubt anyone would have predicted the pounding that comes from "The Wolf" or "Ditmas."

What remains is Marcus Mumford's voice and his way around a lyric. The songs are credited to the entire band, which likely meant that each member designated his volume to the instrumentation, as the lyrics remain as soul searching as ever, and a little less on the God Quest side of things. And when the sonics aren't overwhelming, the songs sound as brightly as they might have on the band's earlier albums ("Believe" and "Hot Gates").

This may still come as a bitter pill to swallow for the fans expecting more of what the first two albums represent. I would suggest that you test the samples first or think about what U2 (or a heavier version of Coldplay) might sound like. The songs themselves are good enough for me to forgive the amplification, but "Wilder Mind" takes a little getting used to. Be prepared.

     

My Amazon Reviews: Walk The Moon "Talking Is Hard"

Pop is Easy
3 Out Of 5 Stars

Walk The Moon are a band that makes the kind of effortless pop that can make a power popper go green with envy. Almost every song here is perky, danceable and anchored with a mighty hook. You've likely heard the invincible single, "Shut Up and Dance." But fair warning; it's the best song on the CD. Like a lot of bands enamored by 80's new wave and synth pop, much of "Talking Is Hard" is very derivative, even though it's a lot of fun. It's jellybean music, all sugar and chewy.

As a genre album, you can't do much better. Walk The Moon remind me more than a little of Neon Trees, who also specialize in this sort of dynamo pop. Even when they try and scream one out ("Up 2 U"), you're still playing spot the influence, even though you're still digging the hook. "Work The Body" has a hand clapping goodness about it - it could easily be the follow-up single. The overall effect of the album is one of effervescence and cheeriness. When they ask "What do you spend your money on?" and respond in kind, "I hope it's something of value," they could easily be describing "Talking Is Hard." There's nothing heavyweight here, but it's all in good fun. "Shut Up and Dance," indeed.

     

My Amazon Reviews: My Morning Jacket "The Waterfall"

Chasing Waterfalls.
4 Out Of 5 Stars

Cleaning their sound up a bit while still maintaining their status as one of our best jam bands, "The Waterfall" finds My Morning Jacket relaxing into a great groove. There are plenty of Jim James' soaring falsetto and guitar hero chops, like on "Spring (Among The Living)." (I've seen MMJ three times now and can attest that he's a monster live.) From the bubbly synth that opens "Believe (Nobody Knows)" to the extended play out of "Only Memories Remain," this is the My Morning Jacket album that takes the experiments aside and concentrates on the band's strengths, much like "Circuital" did. And since they decided to stretch out of their comfort zone and record in the sunny spaces of California instead of the hallowed grain silo, it seems like a little California sunshine and polish made its mark on the boys.

They ponder nature ("In Its Infancy"), flirt with folk rock ("Tropics") and even commit to a relatively straightforward break up song ("Get The Point"). There is still a wall of sound aspect to the band, yet this time their seems to be a buffing away of some of the rougher edges. But it's always been the cascades of sound that has been the main attraction of My Morning Jacket. Their combination of folk, psychedelia, and instrumental prowess is one of many reasons that MMJ are one of the most interesting American bands currently making music. It's also soulful; the inspiring "Thin Line" and "Only Memories Remain" are cases in point. The band still keeps to their path of eclecticism and we're all the richer for it.