Mumford And Sons: Foot-Stomping British Folk

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Mumford and Sons' rich harmonies and infectious melodies bring to mind Crosby, Stills and Nash.

courtesy of the artist

Mumford and Sons' rich harmonies and infectious melodies bring to mind Crosby, Stills and Nash.

courtesy of the artist

The music of the West London band Mumford and Sons features banjos and mandolins that conjure images of American folk. The group's lush harmonies have even been compared to those of Crosby, Stills and Nash, but band members Marcus Mumford and Ben Lovett say that American folk is only part of a large cast of influences.

"I think we all grew up with American music as a big part of our musical heritage," Mumford says. "[But] we all came in with different influences. I think we're as equally influenced by British folk as American folk."

Though Mumford and Sons' members have been together for less than three years, the band has achieved rapid success. An extensive tour of the U.K. helped make its song "Little Lion Man" a hit in Britain and Australia. Rich harmonies, infectious melodies and foot-stomping rhythms are no doubt the cause.