The Beauty of Babel

September 25th, 2012, is a day that holds immense notability in my life. Not because it's the day I walked through the mall without instantly gravitating toward Chik-fil-A, but because it's the day that Mumford & Sons released its sophomore album titled Babel.

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Found on the shelves of Starbuckses 'round the world, Babel is a work of brilliance -- both poetically and musically -- and is now the fastest selling album of 2012 in the US. If you have yet to listen to the masterminds that are Mumford & Sons, Babel is definitely a solid starting point. 

The term "folk," under which genre I thought the band's music was categorized, had always left me feeling reluctant to spend $1.29. I'm not typically one to find either pleasure in or relation to a song about overalls, old men or out-houses. But then again, I'm not one to ignore the incessant griping of this band's amazingness that I was finding all over every outlet of social media. I found myself succumbing to societal pressures and purchasing Babel on iTunes. And, basically, I lived happily ever after.

Well, it's been three weeks. So far so good.

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This album is inspiring in every aspect. It didn't contain the type of folk influence I was expecting -- none of the songs were titled "I Heart My Banjo." I find each song on this album to be completely relative to my life in some way. Babel seems to contain many songs involving relationships and the wide array of emotions one can feel at different points in a relationship -- from the optimistic lyrics of "I Will Wait," the album's first single, to the tear-jerking bonus track titled "Where Are You Now."

And when speaking of this album, one can't fail to mention the prodigious vocals of Marcus Mumford. It's completely rare for a vocalist to effectively portray such an immense emotional connection throughout an album, but "Mumford" front-man has done just that. I dare you to listen to "Broken Crown" and tell me you don't feel the angst and passion in his voice. You won't be able to because his emotions radiate -- explode. It's incredible.

Literally, every record on this album brings something to the table. In the words of my dear friend, Savannah, "I don't have a favorite song on this album. There's just a few that I love more than the rest." She couldn't have said it better. Every song is inspiring. If you haven't already, purchase this album. You won't regret it. If you love/hate it, leave comments. I'd love to hear someone else's opinion of this work of art.

Blue skies,

Brett Westmoreland