The Mumford Music Experience: “On the Way Home” – fills the spirit
Mumford & Sons took the world by storm using their raw mixture of acoustic melody, percussion, and that catchy little banjo to compliment the ensemble. Then the unassuming bunch of West London lads who started out with a bandolier full of anthems and a desire to share them at venues around the UK, dropped the banjo…and folk connotations, plugged in, and went alternative rock – much to the dismay of many fans and critics. Now their sound of ambition is a second hand copy of Coldplay. Now who will bring that acoustic driven music which always sounded like something old, something new, and ultimately something very comfortable to our ears?
Ever heard of The Mumford Music Experience? Now before you go running off thinking this some cheap plagiaristic or tribute cover band, stop where you’re standing – The Mumford Music Experience is exactly that! The experience of that lush, melodic and acoustic driven sound reminiscent of the older, and dare I say, better version of Mumford & Sons. But that’s where the similarities end.
The Mumford Music Experience is a folk rock band formed around the German soundtrack composer and songwriter, Alexander Ehm. To complete the band, Ehm recruited talented musicians and artists from all over the world. And in Medyoneful, he found the voice that would make their songs unique and special.
The Mumford Music Experience’s debut album, “On the Way Home” contains 11 Songs and was released in stores worldwide on 20.06.2017. The band infuse the melodies on their debut album with simple Americana and a down-home, sing-along stomp that instantly implants itself on the brain.
Starting off slowly, often with Medyoneful singing solo over the acoustic guitar driven arrangements, nearly every track builds with guitars, keys, bass, and vocal harmonies until the entire thing explodes with bliss – the folk rock equivalent of an EDM drop.
It’s tough to fault a band for sticking to such a successful musical algorithm throughout the album, and in fact you can’t – Making it entirely easy to embrace the familiar sounding songs which you are hearing for the first time.
It’s albums like this that make most of what the music industry produces these days seem even more like so much garbage. The heartfelt lyrics pierce the soul, at times, and the emotions build with guitars and harmonies to a crescendo befitting the sentiment, never out of place or disjointed. The variety of songs on the album provides an exceptional selection of music that fills the spirit.
Songs like “All The Way Home”, “I Won’t Lose You This Time” and “It’s Never Too Late” speak directly to the soul and substance of a person, without coming off as melodramatic or self-centered. “Learn, How To Be Free” with its introspective imagery and empowering interjections, is both deep and intriguing, and one of my favorite songs in the collection, along with the electric “Happy And Sad”.
“Superhuman” is a great vehicle for Medyoneful’s melodic singing and his gorgeous vocal range, and if you have a penchant for more upbeat tunes, you will relish in the gentle rhythms of “The Golden Train” and “We’ll Find Joy.”
These songs are all touching and soothing. Some are slow and contemplative while others are passionate and joyful. It has just the right amount of bittersweet melodies and uplifting tunes. Alexander Ehm and his, The Mumford Music Experience project, has delivered eleven courses of hearty, delicious musical dishes with the album “On the Way Home”, which you can accompany with a glass of chilled wine and a shaded umbrella on a cool white-sanded beach. Forget about Mumford & Sons for now…
