Rushmere vinyl

The long-awaited follow up to 2018's Delta, London indie-folk megastars Mumford & Sons return after a seven-year gap (their longest between releases yet) to chart a course back to their original path. Titled Rushmere after a pond located at Wimbledon Common in London, where the band was first formed and music was conceived, their fifth LP marks their first as a trio, following the departure of Winston Marshall in 2021 (who for some bizarre reason opted to allow his politics to prioritise his success and now makes appearances on Fox News). Where the members had gone to lengths previously to shy away from their folk-pop stylings in search of a "new sound", here it's evident that Marcus Mumford and his cohorts have finally become comfortable with their position within the modern music landscape, dusting off the obligatory banjo for the triumphantly anthemic title-track, while the melancholic 'Where It Belongs' utilises weaving, minimalist acoustic melodies and deeply affecting vocal harmonies to conjure a sense of quiet acceptance. In short, this is the most Mumford & Sons the troupe have sounded since their acclaimed 2009 debut Sigh No More.