Mumford & Sons can’t shake their religious upbringing. Not that it’s a bad thing. On their sophomore album Babel, they bring the biblical imagery and language to a new level. Writing with God’s gaze in mind they sing, “Lord, forget all of my sins/Or let me die where I lie/Beneath the curse of my lover’s eyes/Cause there’s no drink nor drug I tried/To rid the curse of these lover’s eyes.” The faith that Mumford & Sons sing about is never a clean, sanitized version. On “Broken Crown” they use a profanity to describe the devil’s rejection of God and his inability to comprehend grace. While they explore sin and human depravity, the album is also full of hope, singing, “But I was told by Jesus/All was well/So all must be well.”
The music is melodic and beautiful in the Americana-bluegrass tradition. Beginning quietly, it quickly changes to an energetic rhythm and urgency. Rather than rushing to capitalize on their quick rise to fame, they wisely waited. The end result is definitely worth the wait. (Glass Note)