Mumford and Sons made a name for themselves more than a decade ago. Even as their sound was summoning fans and followers early on, the foursome of Marcus Mumford, Winston Marshall, Ben Lovett, and Ted Dwane possessed a passion for playing together onstage that remains unequaled, and they were committed to spreading that passion globally.

Over the past year, Mumford and Sons have kept mum about new music as they focused on creating their fourth album, but now, the band is emerging publicly with new songs. Late last month, Mumford and Sons showed up as surprise headliners at the 2018 Newport Folk Festival.

To add to that, eager concertgoers at the Sziget Festival in Budapest, Hungary were recently treated to three brand new songs -- according to reports from Radio.com and JamBase. Considering the reception, the new songs seem to be keepers.

Ready to see

Unlike many established bands, Mumford and Sons have remained fearless in their willingness to share brand new material, from their first stints at Bonnaroo to this latest offering. The musicians hold to the belief that if a song does not go over well with their crowd, it is tossed. The band related that their tough process was still in place for their latest effort in an NME interview last July, insisting that quality is what makes a band more than a long catalog.

They essentially write 30 songs and select the 10 best for an album.

The band led off with “See a Sign” for the Sziget set. Set against blue-lit fog, Marcus Mumford stood on one of the stage monitors to allow him the intimacy to sing to the fans. With a thumping bass backbeat and minimal instrumentation in the intro, the opening chorus led Mumford to walk out on a catwalk to question: “What if I need you in my darkest hour?” After taking an electric guitar for a few strums, the raspy baritone whose voice seems to only get better with wear took to a standalone drum set, pounding out the march-type beat as the “Ahhh’s” rose.

“See a Sign” is certain to become a future favorite and a standard fixture in the Mumford and Sons set.

Two gems to finish

The energetic selections included the must-haves of “Awake My Soul,” “The Cave,” “Little Lion Man” and “Tompkins Square Park” from 2015’s “Wilder Mind,” showcasing how seamlessly the more recent songs fuse with those of years back.

“Dust Bowl Dance” was another treasure from the past to be played as well.

Near the close of the set, Marcus Mumford announced to Hungary fans: “This is the first time we've ever played ‘em,” before leading into “Woman.” The instrumental gifts of each member shine on this tender tribute to “the woman I adore." Mumford later confesses: “I don't know the loneliness you know,” said against a gentle, almost R&B vibe.

The acoustic-rich “Guiding Light” was included in the encore, and Marcus Mumford thanked everyone for a “f****** great festival” before launching into the hopeful ballad that affirms that “even when there is no star in sight, you’ll always be my guiding light.” Years have passed, and changes in life and music have come for Mumford and Sons, but themes of hope, humanity, and love hold fast, as does the talent and artistry of this still-connected quartet.
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