There has been an explosion of folk bands recently. The mainstream success achieved by The Head & The Heart and Mumford & Sons has (for better or for worse) put the rootsy genre into the ears of the masses and (in the way of such things) others have tried to cash in. This leads to a dichotomy of the very good and the very bad which, as a fan of folk/Americana, I am always sorting bands in to.
Anyway, The Lumineers are another band treading this line, touring on the success of their self-titled album (they played on Conan on Monday night) and some rather high praise. Happily, their songs possess that sense of sincerity required to fully place themselves into the very good category and you get the feeling that the songs are a product of hard-work and trials. Their sound is mostly upbeat and joyous but there are also one or two songs that hint at a more contemplative side that are very effective in amongst the rest. There is something in there that represents how moments of happiness are ever present despite the overall arc of a story or lifetime. A reminder that life should be celebrated whenever possible.
The album is available to buy here, check it out. They are touring far and wide in the next few months, from sold-out Colorado shows to UK shows with The Civil Wars. Check out all the dates here.