Every week on "World of Jenks," we step out of our comfort zones and spend the night in someone else's shoes. Thanks to Andrew (and his omnipresent camera crew), we've gotten a fly-on-the-wall look at everything from autism to activism, and a newfound respect for that which we don't understand. And since this is a show about opening our eyes and pushing past our boundaries, it's only fitting that the soundtrack would force us to stop, listen and question everything we thought we knew about music.
Case in point, U.K. imports Mumford & Sons. Sure, they call themselves folk rockers (y'know, like Simon & Garfunkel), but these guys are nothing like the old timers gathering dust in your parents' vinyl collection. For starters, they're young (i.e., early to mid-20s), they like to dress up (think Fall Out Boy, only British), and, most refreshing of all, they've all got serious talent. Soundwise, they remind us of Dispatch--a freshman year rite of passage--but with more of a bluegrass flavor (and none of that nasty, behind-the-scenes breakup biz). Plus, unlike some overly auto-tuned pop stars we know, all four band members can sing AND play an instrument, and they'd sooner die than be caught lip-synching on "SNL."
Even better? While they're not doing this for the fame (they just like making awesome music, OK??), it looks as though Mumford & Sons are starting to get some well-earned recognition. Their catchy, acoustic-heavy single, "Little Lion Man," (off their 2009 debut EP, Sigh No More), is currently No. 1 on Billboard's Alternative Song Chart (though you might remember it from the "WOJ" promos), and they've had tracks on "Grey's Anatomy" (love) and "Lone Star" (R.I.P).
So forget what you think you know about folk music and give these guys a shot by checking out their official website and watching the "Little Lion Man" music video below. Oh, and don't blame us if Mumford & Sons make you a convert. (For the record, we've heard Simon & Garfunkel and, well, your parents might be on to something.)