Wilder Mind

Sometimes a band has to reinvent itself sonically, consequences or detractors be damned. Listening to the 180 that Mumford & Sons has taken on Wilder Mind, one can't help but feel this notion was playing through the minds of the band members for a while. Sure, the Mumford & Sons' penchant for lyrical content that looks for the silver linings in struggles remains, but if you loved yourself some folk-pop, or whatever the hell you want to call the band's first two albums, that ship has sailed. In its place is throaty, growling rock 'n' roll (“The Wolf”), ambient pop in the vein of Coldplay's “Midnight” (“Believe”), and a number of driving pop-rock numbers that show off a newfound love of echoing guitars and quick-paced drums (“Ditmas,” “Tompkins Square Park” and the title track chief among them). Fans have denounced the band for abandoning them in favor of early U2- or Coldplay-sounding rock, while others have embraced the change. Mumford & Sons seems invigorated by the fresh, raucous sound, which gives this album some extra oomph. It's a wilder than expected ride.