
Not to be confused with the 1970s U.S. sitcom
Sanford and Son (or its U.K. predecessor
Steptoe and Son), Mumford and Sons are the latest folk-rock sensations to emerge from England. Like Noah and the Whale, Marcus Mumford and his mates specialize in uplifting acoustic music, rather than the depressing stuff of British shoe-gazer rock. Produced by Markus Drav (Arcade Fire), this strong debut features stirring songs like the banjo-driven title track and the barnstorming “Little Lion Man” that brim with passion.