For their third studio release, Mumford & Sons ditched their signature Folk-Pop-Rock sound and ventured to the world of “more traditional” Rock music. Going electric was a pretty damn big move for this band and it’s quite justifiable that fans would worry about this transition, but at least the first looks at the new project came with promise of a solid album. Mumford & Sons have shown time-and-again that they are able to write catchy tunes and the challenge they took on with this album was to appeal to a broader audience while keeping day-1 fans satisfied no matter what genre their music can ultimately fall under. This is a tangible test to see whether the band can follow this new direction or if it’s simply a blip that for them would best be left behind.
The album mostly falls right in the middle: nothing spectacular, nothing spectacularly bad or dull. Marcus Mumford and crew took note of radio-ready bands and put together an album that can appeal to music listeners that are partial to bands like Snow Patrol, The Fray, OneRepublic, and even Coldplay. This isn’t a Rock album in the traditional sense, not that I nor anyone should have expected it to be, but rather merely a contemporary example of Soft Rock. While that part is perfectly fine if you’re a part of that audience, it leaves the rest of us wanting for something better.
There are a handful of tracks that stand out for their Pop appeal. “Believe” is by far the best offer in that department. Some songs, like “Snake Eyes,” “The Wolf,” and “Ditmas,” at least only start off moody before ushering in a flourish of arena-ready, slightly-distorted electric guitar parts that allow themselves to be enjoyed. These got my head moving, which is the least I can ask for. The rest (like say “Tompkins Square Park,” “Broad-Shouldered Beasts,” “Ditmas”) are just your average run-of-the-mill radio-friendly fodder that would make for the perfect moment at a concert to leave the crowd and fetch yourself a beer.
We all wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt, but Wilder Mind just fell a little too flat and there’s no real way to defend it. It’s not completely dull, but it sure isn’t an album that I want to spend my money on nor carry on my phone’s precious iTunes.
DOPENESS FACTOR
3
Key Tracks: “Believe,” “Snake Eyes,” “The Wolf,” “Ditmas”
