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Mumford and Sons' "Roll Away Your Stone" is a raw folk-rock ode to facing demons and starting over.
February 25, 2009 - The British folk-rock group Mumford & Sons has been described as "Coldplay reincarnated as hillbillies," but neither half of that unflattering equation holds up to scrutiny. Coming out of London with acts like Noah and the Whale while reveling in an Americana style that would make Nickel Creek proud, Mumford and Sons' members join the growing ranks of U.K. folk-rockers who've discovered pedal-steel guitars and pack a distinctive punch.
Whether inspired by America's own recent pop-folk explosion or merely harboring a secret love of twang, there's no denying that Mumford and Sons can jam. "Roll Away Your Stone" is a raw ode to facing demons and starting over: "So I will be found / with my stake stuck in the ground / marking the territory of this newly impassioned soul," singer Marcus Johnson promises, his rough voice punctuated by a driving banjo that soon makes way for a full-blown jam. While this brand of British folk doesn't have quite the depth of America's last century backing it, real heart and soul shines through.
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