Mumford & Sons return to the start of their story, opening a new chapter with their fifth studio album, "RUSHMERE." The 10-track collection includes Marcus Mumford, Ted Dwane and Ben Lovett, with a guest appearance from American singer-songwriter Madison Cunningham.
Rushmere is the name of a pond in Wimbledon Common, south-west London, where Mumford, Lovett and Dwane first began hanging out together and dreamed up the idea of forming a band. As the group moves forward with new material, that feeling of going back to where it all began gives the album a fitting foundation.
Recorded with producer Dave Cobb at RCA Studio A in Nashville, in Savanna, Georgia, and at Marcus Mumford's own studio in Devon, England, "RUSHMERE" is a collection that moves through reunion, questioning, faith, resilience, and reflection. It starts with "Malibu," the first song the band wrote after reuniting in Los Angeles. The song immediately connected the band, so it was a natural fit to start the record. From there, "Caroline," "Rushmere," "Monochrome," and "Truth" continue the album's journey.
"Where It Belongs" opens up a more conflicted emotional space, driven by pained questioning and a wrestling with internal conflict, anger, and restlessness. "Anchor" comes next, "Surrender" explores faith, trust, and the possibility of being broken and rebuilt by something bigger than oneself. Madison Cunningham delivers the album's collaborative moment on "Blood On The Page," before "Carry On" closes out the collection with a focus on resilience amid hypocrisy and hardship.
At 34 minutes and 22 seconds, "RUSHMERE" becomes caught between memory and momentum. The title harks back to the band's original idea, and the songs reflect a desire to move on. This ten-track offering was recorded in various locations, and Mumford & Sons present it as both a return and a continuation.
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