Mumford & Sons - Babel

Mumford and Son’s much-loved sophomore album ‘Babel’ features hit singles "I Will Wait" and "Lover Of The Light". It went on to win 'Album of the Year' at the 2013 GRAMMY Awards.

When Mumford & Sons entered the studio to commence work on their second album in August 2011, they never envisioned it would be to follow up a debut record that had connected with so many music lovers from all different corners of the globe, and all the roads in-between.

How Mumford & Sons came to be is something that even the very four members struggle to trace. "It sort of just happened," Marcus Mumford has often mused to journalists.

Ben Lovett and Marcus were already working on songs together from their school days, but those songs didn't realise their full potential until Winston Marshall (armed with a banjo and dobro), and Ted Dwane (double bass, but with a penchant for being a multi-instrumental marvel) had learnt and lived those songs, given them new arrangements, and injected them with a real 'band' dynamic. Even then they were reticent to make it 'official.' The name Mumford & Sons was eventually chosen as it suggested a wholesome, family business. It suited the relationships that had grown within the band. They were brothers in all but blood relation, and they very quickly became inseparable.

More than excited to release Babel into the world, they had started writing new songs well before they got into the studio to record the album. At first, they peeled themselves off the road quite reluctantly. They loved playing live, obviously, but it had also become an important part of their creative process, they had been writing and rehearsing in soundchecks, and sort of 'road testing' new songs on their very gracious audiences. But then they fell in love with recording again. The album started to come together, and with the help of Markus Dravs (Coldplay, Arcade Fire) once more (and engineer Robin Baynton), they started to relish the challenge of making this album. As a band, they'd never been closer or more collaborative, all working to their strengths. And so they felt that this record is a natural progression that they're proud of.

Heavyweight vinyl produced by Glassnote Records in 2023. Gatefold sleeve.

TRACKLISTING:

1. Babel
2. Whispers in the Dark
3. I Will Wait
4. Holland Road
5. Ghosts That We Knew
6. Lover of the Light
7. Lovers' Eyes
8. Reminder
9. Hopeless Wanderer
10. Broken Grown
11. Below My Feet
12. Not with Haste