#beatenburg

(via https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2xedsCfJJFkCAQRVpGrkj5?si=_tcXnvEmS9GMnhuLBsp7Ww)

ALBUM REIVEW: Mumford & Sons - Johannesburg

The last time I wrote about Mumford and Sons, I expressed a certain amount of disappointment regarding their latest full-length album, Wilder Mind. My overall sentiment was that, while I admired their daring to venture from the indie-folk box that’s been drawn around them, the album lacked originality and did not play to their strengths as a band. Their latest record, Johannesburg, a collaborative effort made with African artists Beatenburg, Baaba Maal, and The Very Best reminded me why I love this band so much.

As Marcus says in the trailer video for their African tour, collaboration has always been a massive part of Mumford and Sons. Since their formation playing with artists like Laura Marling and Johnny Flynn, the band has never really stopped touring and working with other artists. When the Mumford boys like a band, they don’t just give a shout out to them online - they ask them to open for them, they invite them to play the encore with them at Glastonbury, they put them on stage at their Gentlemen of the Road festivals, and sometimes even help produce their records. Mumford and Sons have been very successful, and while some people in more underground music scenes may demonize them for their success, the band has always tried to spread the attention placed on them to smaller bands they love. Johannesburg is the perfect example of the Mumford-collab style. The boys went to Africa for the first time, gathered three great bands, and recorded an EP in two days. The plan was ambitious, if not a little manic, but the tunes are wonderful.

The EP is comprised of five songs that feature the various strengths of the four different bands. Most importantly, while the Mumfords are the most popular band on the record, they definitely don’t drown out the other artists. All the songs feature both English and an African language (which I unfortunately cannot identify and could not find on the internet; if anyone out there knows, please tell me), which obviously solidifies the album as an African-English collaboration. The African verses are not short sentences thrown into a chorus, but stunningly powerful lines belted out by Baaba Maal and chanted by all the other bands.

The instrumentation of the EP is both rhythmic and fluid. It is a wonderful combination of the drums found in The Very Best’s music and the light-hearted guitar riffs found in Beatenburg’s tunes, tied together by the structural backbone of Mumford-style harmonies and production. Song’s like “Fool You’ve Landed” and “Wona” are upbeat beach tunes, while songs like “There Will Be Time” and “Si Tu Veux” are nothing short of powerful.

My personal favorite on the record right now is “Fool You’ve Landed.” The song exudes warmth and giddiness, giving the world a rose-colored tint for nearly four minutes. I’m particularly infatuated with the chorus line “Man my heart is so suddenly useless / What a fool you've landed” because it projects this very carefree and adoring feeling of love. The lead singer on this track is also Winston, rather than Marcus, of Mumford and Sons, which is a nice change of pace.

Mumford and Sons were my first favorite band.If it weren’t for them, I would definitely not be where I am today. Despite the haters, I am truly glad that the Mumford boys started me on my musical path because they’ve always lead their audience to other great bands. With the Johannesburg EP, they’ve lead me to three more fantastic artists who I can honestly say I would be unlikely to know otherwise. Johannesburg will undoubtedly be the anthem of my summer, but so will some other tracks by the non-Mumford members of the project. Beatenburg’s “Pluto,” “Beauty Like A Tightened Bow,” and “Ithaca” are all fantastic, bouncy tunes I can’t wait to overplay. The Very Best’s tracks “Makes a King” and “Let Go” were already the theme songs to my trip to Barcelona in May, and Baaba Maal has been getting some serious airtime since I first heard “There Will Be Time” off Johannesburg.

If you have read this far, I hope I have convinced you to give Johannesburg a listen. You won’t be disappointed - I know I certainly wasn’t.   

The Solo Experience in Europe

Hi everyone! After such a long hiatus, I’m back! After a good three weeks flying solo in Europe, I touched down on Saturday with barely a day to unpack and get my mind ready for work. My mind is still somewhere in the clouds, jet lag and approximately four to five hours of sleep a day. But in the meantime, while I take the morning trains to work, I still look back on my trip with fond memories!…