Although Marcus Mumford released a solo album in 2022 "Rushmere" is the first album from Mumford and Sons in seven years and is like a warm embrace of comforting music from an old friend.
The album’s rootsy production is partly due to big-time Americana producer Dave Cobb who has the band back on track after losing their banjo player, Winston Marshall to a political controversy in 2021. Many of the songs follow the Mumford and Sons pattern of starting out slowly and revving up to a big stomping ending.
Mumford says “Most of the songs on this record, you could play on an acoustic guitar around a campfire.” The album is named after an ancient pond in London where the band members used to hang out in before they got famous.
After experimenting with electric instruments on their last album in 2018 “Rushmere” is a back to the basics move by Mumford and Sons with a hopeful and optimistic theme that their long-time fans can relate to.