Folk darlings Mumford & Sons take nothing for granted

Maybe it was the X Factor that forced the issue. Maybe it was the endless parade of soulless R&B clogging up the airwaves. Maybe it was just a glut of talented musicians hankering for something more earthy and in touch with their musical heritage to get their teeth into.

But the previously dormant London folk scene has undergone something of an resurgence in the past 12 months. Noah And The Whale, Cherbourg, Laura Marling and King Charles, among others, have all emerged to varying degrees of crossover commercial success – and universal critical acclaim – in the music press. If you didn't know it already, folk is the new cool.

Not that it cares. The plethora of bands emerging with ukulele, mandolin and accordion in hand didn't seem to set out with world domination on their radar – just a desire to play aching, visceral, acoustic songs.

The latest band to make their presence felt, Mumford & Sons, will arrive at Hull's Adelphi this week already backed by a heap of high praise and celebrity fans.

Their stirring folk-inspired songs such as Hold On To What You Believe and The Cave are reminiscent of Fleet Foxes and Arcade Fire and with an album, Sigh No More – produced by Arcade Fire and Björk's go-to man Markus Dravs, due for release on October 5, the quartet look set for bigger things.

Radio One mover and shaker Zane Lowe, no less, even labelled their forthcoming single, Little Lion Man, as "the hottest record in the world today".

Banjo player "Country" Winton Marshall is adamant the band won't be getting carried away with the positive press as they edge slowly toward the brink of a breakthrough.

"I personally don't allow myself to get too excited because this business is all too fickle," he says. "We've had plenty of ups and downs since we got together – and this has been an incredible up – but you never take anything for granted. It could all go pear-shaped tomorrow.

"I don't really feel like we're on the brink of anything, to be honest. It's been a long, slow burn for us. But we're really excited about having the record coming out because it seems like forever since we started it. Now we just want people to hear it."

So, can the band explain why there has been such a rich explosion of contemporary folk outfits from one small corner of the capital?

Frontman Marcus Mumford says it never really felt like a "folk scene" – just a collection of mates who all happened to be in the same style of music.

"It was a very exciting time," he says. "And though we loved it and were in awe of the music going on around us, we didn't consider ourselves contenders in the pretty daunting London music scene. There was never any idea of competition, just pure enjoyment."

The Fulham-based band is particularly looking forward to getting out on the road again and playing in towns and cities, such as Hull, where the Sons are breaking new ground.

"We thrive on the road," says Winston. "We love playing live. It's inspirational to get out in front of an audience and we usually get a lot of material written when we're on tour. It's just that feeling of interacting with a crowd, it sort of feeds the band's creativity."

Mumford And Sons play The Adelphi, De Grey Street, Hull, on Tuesday, September 22, 8pm. Tickets cost £6 in advance from Beasley's, in the Hepworth Arcade, and Chinese Laundry, Savile Street, Hull, and £7on the door.

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