MUMFORD AND SONS - Sigh No More

This debut record from Mumford & Sons was released in 2009, but I didn't stumble upon it until a month ago. I had heard of these guys, described as folk, and I thought they would be some wimpy folk band (read: boring). Then, my good friend Seppi, of the newly formed band Kid Charlemagne and the Magna Carta, sent me a listing of the songs his band would be playing at their first show. Mumford & Sons' "The Cave" was included on the list, as well as a link to the song's lyrics. Curious about this choice of a cover song, I took a look at the lyrics; I liked them a lot. A Youtube play of the song was next, followed by getting the album, and it was then that I fell in love.

This is my favorite record so far this year, regardless of when it was released. I've been listening to it as winter is turning into spring, which also brings many new possibilities to my life, and it has been a perfect soundtrack. It's a big album while keeping its feet on the ground; it's about finding new beginnings, endings, and many of the songs tell us to stay true to our own selves while giving the best we can. Marcus Mumford has one of the most gorgeous, powerful voices I've heard in a while. He can sing a ballad and then he can fill his voice with emotion and kick out the jams. This guy, he can do it all. He sings, he plays guitar, he plays a kick drum simultaneously while singing and playing guitar, and he plays drums. Plus he writes the songs. I can't believe he is only 24 years old because he has a maturity about his music that led me to believe he was much older. The arrangements and the lyrics are all so amazing. I haven't seen them live in person, but I managed to catch the live stream of their set at Coachella over the past weekend. Their songs carry over from the studio incredibly well. In fact, the energy and excitement that was present in their performance and the feedback from the crowd made the band even better than I previously thought they were (if that was possible).

For most of the past month, Sigh No More has been the music that plays in my car as I drive around. Trust me when I tell you that I do my fair share of driving, so this record has been receiving a considerable number of spins. I can't play it enough. I listen to it at work and I listen to it at home. Sometimes I even listen to it at the gym! But back to my previous thought that they were a wimpy folk band: yes, they are a folk band. Have some country, have some folk, have some bluegrass. Have some rock and roll. Have Mumford & Sons. They are a folk band, but they sure as hell ain't a wimpy folk band. They know how to rock out. I think that is one of the reasons why I like these guys so much. They can play beautiful songs that are at home in the sunshine and then switch to playing music with dark overtones that sounds like it's storming outside. They have the capacity to provide intimate, minimal instrumentation with just Marcus Mumford's vocals and guitar and then jump into full-band mode that could fill up an entire ocean with sound. Mumford and Sons are a band that get dynamics, and they use them to their full advantage. I love that a band like this has been tearing up the Billboard Rock charts, because it's good for music. I'm so sick of all those angsty "rock" bands who play terrible music yet manage to hit the charts. Mumford & Sons are a breath of fresh air and I am so happy that they are successful because it gives me hope that good music will eventually prevail.

MIKE POSNER - 31 Minutes To Takeoff

I like how it's called 31 Minutes To Takeoff when the album is actually around 37 minutes long. Perhaps Mike is referencing something else with the title? Who knows.

This is his debut album. His popularity has been buoyed by singles like "Cooler Than Me", "Please Don't Go", and, most recently, "Bow Chicka Wow Wow". Though the radio version of "Bow Chicka Wow Wow" features a guest spot by Lil Wayne, the album version doesn't. Sadness.

Anyway, Mike Posner has never (at least to the best of my knowledge) professed to be a maker of "deep" or "intellectual" music. If he did, then he's a liar. He makes pop music: fluffy, candy-coated pop music. It's sexy pop music though; it grooves, thanks no doubt to his hip-hop influences. This album would be best listened to by people who won't be offended by the dropping of the word "shit" in several of the songs, or the fact that Posner often is either singing about being ignored by girls, picking up girls, having sex with girls, being cheated on by girls, or cheating on girls. We get it, Mike, you like girls. Despite the fact that most of the lyrics are throwaway and even cheesy at times, I like this guy's stuff. Mike's got a unique voice that isn't great but he uses it the best he can. He's got a smooth delivery and exudes charm. I love the horns on "Do You Wanna" which really add some soul to his sound. "Gone in September" is such a sweet little song (it even has finger snaps!), that you almost want to side with this guy who's cheating on his girlfriend. Almost: Mike hits the nail on the head when he sings, "I thought I wasn't like the others...Guess I'm an asshole after all." At least he knows it. We do have "Delta 1406" on here which seems to be about the unintended consequences and worries of becoming famous very quickly.

Overall, I do like this album a lot. I think it will make for good summer jam music: not too deep but it's catchy and polished to a shine.

WIZ KHALIFA - Rolling Papers

I don't know too much about Wiz Khalifa. In the few things I have read about him online, I know that a lot of his "fans" consider him a "sell-out" because he's on a major label now (Atlantic) and this album was a "let-down" based on the strength of his previous mixtapes. Well, I never listened to those mixtapes, and I'm one of the people that first heard Wiz when "Black and Yellow" came on my radio's speakers. So maybe I'm not qualified to talk about this album, but I was hooked on that single the first time I heard it. Every time it came on, the volume went up and I was singing along to the chorus. Eventually, I said to myself, "Self, you should get his album and listen to it."

I'm definitely not any sort of expert on the hip-hop/rap genre, but I will tell you that I enjoy this album the whole way through. Not all of the songs are 100% awesome, but a song like "Roll Up", with its synth backing, is fantastic. Sure, the song material is kinda fluffy (being there and wanting to be with a girl who apparently is with some sort of loser boyfriend but is cheating on him), but who cares. It's nice to see a rapper who isn't afraid to show a heart once in a while. It's probably my favorite track on the disc. And don't worry, we still get plenty of references to "hoes" and "bitches" on other songs so Wiz isn't a total softie! Haters gon' hate on this record for sure, but I'm digging it, so there.