Mumford & Sons "The Cave"

What's more "Country" sounding to you? A mandolin or a banjo?

My instinct would be to say, a banjo. You can slip a mandolin into a tasteful rock song (think "Losing My Religion") but you can't hide the twang of a banjo.

I wrote about Nickel Creek last week, and a friend from high school commented that it was strange that a progressive act like Nickel Creek never found the mass-appeal audience that Mumford & Sons is finding.

Why?

Both are great bands with great songs. And both are driven by instruments that are country-music-associated.

But only one band gets airplay on Modern Rock radio.

I can remember when this Mumford & Sons song song came in to mvy and we had decided we'd play it, but I did note that it was pretty remarkable that a song with a driving banjo was receiving widespread acceptance.

But how is it different, or "less country" than Nickel Creek?

I'm not sure, but I'll share my theory.

It's a simple guilt-by-association.

Nickel Creek came up from the bluegrass scene, shepherded by the likes of Alison Krauss. No matter how many Nirvana or Pavement covers they went on to do, they were always going to be a "Country" act.

Mumford & Sons is from the U.K. They aren't associated with American mainstream country in any way whatsoever.

And here's where we get to the prejudice.

Just as there are many people who won't listen to the Grateful Dead because of the culture of Deadheads, there are people who steadfastly won't listen to anything Country music, because of some of the stereotypes that Country is associated with.

So even a cool band like Nickel Creek, gets the cold shoulder.

But a cool band like Mumford & Sons, one that's foreign and dynamic and whatever, catches the attention of folks because they are unfettered by that blanket bologna.

Listen to both songs, and tell me which is more "Country."

And tonight, listen to mvy Live at 9pm, as we play the Chris Thile (formerly of Nickel Creek) and Michael Daves set from Newport Folk 2011, at 9pm ET. You can also hear the set on demand, or even download it at mvyradio's Newport Folk 2011 page.



See Mumford & Sons on Youtube.


See Nickel Creek on Youtube.