Much Ado About Mumford and Sons

Mumford and Sons is a British folk rock band that is taking the music world by storm. The members that make up this incredible group are Marcus Mumford, as front man, Ben Lovett, Country Winston Marshall and Ted Dwayne. Each of them bring in musical talents with the traditional vocals, guitar, and drums. But add in the sounds of banjos, mandolins, and accordions and it makes for a powerful punch to the senses.

The name  Mumford and Sons was derived from Macus Mumford being the face of the group and the desire to invoke a feeling of family. At the 2010 Grammy Awards they were nominated for Best New Rock Artist and Best Rock Song for "Little Lion Man." The momentium is only growing with stars like Adele, Jack Gyllenhal, Alex Skarsgard, and Adam Levine complimenting their work.

Mumford and Sons get a lot of lyrical inspiration from great literary works such as Shakespeare and John Steinbeck. Many times you can hear the lines being sung out, as in "Roll Away Your Stone" when the line "stars hide your fires, and these here are my desires" is sung. This line was taken from Macbeth--heavy words to use in both areas.

"Sigh No More" is an album that is full of emotions, both good and bad. The most popular track, "Little Lion Man," sums it up best when he sings "I really fucked it up this time." While some may think this a little harsh or crude, these are words that we've all felt at one time or another. Add in the building emotion of the sounds and it packs quite the punch.

Something to take notice of is how a lot of the songs seem to build in momentum as they go along. "Sigh No More" is a song of redemption, while "White Blank Page" talks of being afraid of giving all of yourself to someone. "Dust Bowl Dance" builds a song of vengance. "I Gave You All" has you growling along with the line "I gave you all and you rip it from my hands." All of these may start slow, but quickly build in tempor and sound. The listener can hear the emotion in the voices.

More melodic songs such as "Thistle and Weeds" and "After the Storm" bring the tempo down to a soothing and comforting sound. Lyrically it only gets better. "The Cave" sings of strength with the line "...I will hold on hope." The deep lyrics of "Awake My Soul" warn the audience "where you invest your love, you invest your life." Words we can all live by, I'm sure.

The album Sigh No More has sold more than 1,000,000 copies across the US and the UK. While Mumford and Sons may have to fight a little harder to get the fame they desperately deserve, it's definitely on the horizon for this powerhouse group.

Decoding Paramore

Haley Williams is a powerful vocalist and performer. With songs like "Misery Business" and "Brick by Boring Brick" she brings the listener along on a whirl wind of energy. However, she can just as quickly have you softly swaying as she sings "We Are Broken" or "Misguided Ghosts." And lyrically, it only gets better.

With the album "Riot" going platinum, the fan base grew solid. The more popular songs, such as "CrushCrushCrush" and "Misery Business" being played on local radio stations brought the spotlight. I find other songs on this album to be outstanding in a different way. From the first haunting piano cord, "We Are Broken" had me hooked. It's filled with such raw emotion as the words "we just want to be whole" are poured out of Haley's tiny frame. It's a song that calls to me on a very emotional and spiritual level. I can almost always guarantee a tear or two when this is playing. But with with a push of a button, I can be brought to my feet to dance along with the tune of "Fences." To me, this reminds me of zoot suites and swing dancing. It's a fun, upbeat song that speaks about putting on a smile and brave face, even when you may not feel it. It's about how to keep up the appearance so no one sees you crack. And let's not forget the powerhouse anthem of "Born For This." It tells us to "sing, like it's the last song you will ever sing." It's one to belt out when you want the world to know that you are okay with being exactly who you are.

For anyone that thought one album was all they could do, Paramore showed us all when Bright New Eyes hit the shelves. Keeping up with the momentum following Riot, they proved that once again, they knew how to bring out the feeling in you. "Ignorance" is about friends growing apart. With it's raw aggression and power, it lets us know that it's okay to be us and if someone else has an issue with that, it's on them. The simple guitar stringing out "Only Exception" tells the story of a girl that was afraid of love, until she found the one guy that made it worth it. "Playing God" reminds me of how others can be total hypocrites and judgmental. Haley's advice? Easy. Just point them to the mirror.

With every breath, beat, and note Paramore has filled our hearts and soul with great music. Time a time again, they prove they can do it all. And they can do it their way.