18. February 2026
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Media Review

Mumford & Sons – Prizefighter

Florian Buechtingby Florian Buechting

Mumford & Sons - Prizefighter

Mumford & Sons - Prizefighter
3.8

Rating

 3.8/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • Good storywriting and storytelling
  • Back to the Mumford & Sons roots

Flyctory.com Cons

  • Strong song similarities
  • Not too many catching elements

The British folk rock and Americana artists Mumford & Sons are definitely on top of the European music scene. They just had a large arena tour at the end of 2025, now they are back with a new album. The release date for Prizefighter is 20th February 2026. Here is my review.

 

Mumford & Sons – About The Artists

Mumford & Sons has been founded as a quartet by Marus Mumford (vocals & various instruments) in London in 2007. Nowadays, the band is just a trio, as Winston Marshall left the band in 2021. Like Mumford, Ted Dwane (majorly bass) and Ben Lovett (keys) are founding members of the band as well. On stage, they use various touring musicians. At the most recent tour, the touring line-up of the band consisted of ten musicians.

Already with their debut album Sigh No More (2009), they were very successful. It is a six time platinum record release in the U.K. and lead the charts in Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. The band is also very popular in the United States and Canada, where that album peaked second. The following albums came with very good chart placements internationally as well. The most recent studio album by Mumford & Sons is Rushmere, a March 2025 publication.

 

Mumford & Sons – Prizefighter – Track by Track

The 14 song album lasts 50 minutes.

1. Here (feat. Chris Stapleton)

Prizefighter features a couple of collaborations with guest musicians. Some of them illustrate the reputation the British band has nowadays. One good example is the opener Here, where the country rock legend Chris Stapleton joins the trio. The song has the typical folk swag of Mumford & Sons. However, Chris Stapleton is adding a flavor of his musical style as well. The song is a lovely first listen of the album.

2. Rubber Band Man (feat. Hozier)

Another guest musician on the album is the Irish folk artist Hozier. He is supporting Mumford & Sons in the second song, Rubber Band Man. The song is a folk track with some country music influence. Again, the track strikes with lovely harmonies and beautiful storytelling.

3. The Banjo Song

Like Rubber Band Man, The Banjo Song is one of the three track, which have been released before the record. Overall, this one has a stronger focus on the vocals and storytelling. The banjo is present in the background, but is not in focus of the melody, by the way.

4. Run Together

The next song is Run Together. From its vibes, the song takes you back to the roots of the band, presenting a very solid folk music strummer. Run Together illustrates on the good and the bad of Prizefighter nicely. On the one hand, there is this magic of a Mumford & Sons song, the melodies, the atmosphere. In the context of the album, the song cannot deny similarities to other tracks on the album.

5. Conversation With My Son (Gangsters & Angels)

The fifth song, Conversation With My Son is subtitled with Gangster & Angels. With 5:30 minutes, it is the longest song on Prizefighter. I am torn again. The song catches with its very personal setting and style. However, it also feels a bit of lengthy.

6. Alleycat

The following three minutes are taken by Alleycat. The song struggles to leave a mark, also as it is rather short, compared to its pre-decessor. If you give it a try, it is not a bad song at all, though.

7. Prizefighter

The emotional and personal level stays high with Prizefighter. The title track of Mumford & Sons’ 2026 again concentrates on the vocals, the instruments just do what is absolutely needed. This creates a very fine atmosphere.

8. Begin Again

After a couple of more quiet songs, Begin Again launches a more energetic listen. This song does have a very present rhythm and intense instruments in general. Melodically, it is quite in the core of the Mumford & Sons comfort zone.  It feels like an energizing wake-up call in the context of the album. Thus, I appreciate it.

9. Icarus (feat. Gigi Perez)

Gigi Perez, who is also just known as Gigi is a US-American indie folk artist from Hackensack, New Jersey. She is joining Mumford & Sons in the ninth song of Prizefighter, Icarus. Despite the song is more calm than Begin Again, it still does have a present beat and a good melody. Having Gigi Perez as additional singer definitely adds value to the song. Thus, Icarus is one of the record’s finer listens.

10. Stay

Stay comes with a higher energy level again. Mumford & Sons lead a bit more towards folk rock in that track. Nonetheless, it is still the type of song you typically expect by the British. A very solid song.

11. Badlands (feat. Gracie Abrams)

Badlands, recorded with Gracie Abrams is the last track of the album featuring a guest artist. The Los Angeles musician, who is doing folk-pop as a solo artist, adds a very fragile touch from the very beginning with her high voice. The song is less than three minutes long, which is a bit of a shame. I feel that their collaboration is a very harmonic and beautiful one.

12. Shadow Of A Man

Shadow Of A Man mixes the typical Mumford & Sons sound with country music flavors. Again, the British band creates a very harmonic bedding with nice melody, which is majorly presented by the voice of Marcus Mumford. A nice listen, which gains more and more energy towards the end.

13. I’ll Tell You Everything

The penultimate song is the shortest on Prizefighter. Hard to find new words for it. It is one of these songs, which are very characteristic for the 2026 style of Mumford & Sons. Calm, good storytelling, but also having a lack of thrill in it.

14. Clover

With Clover, Prizefighter has its calm and slow fade-out. The song is a dreaming, harmonic one. Honestly, I do feel a bit of kitsch in here as well.

 

Mumford & Sons – Prizefighter – Spotify

I will add the Spotify widget once the album has been published.

 

Mumford & Sons – Prizefighter – My View

Mumford & Sons are a good band. They write good songs – and, if you listen into Prizefighter song by song, it is a pretty solid recording. However, as a record, it just does not spread as much thrill, catch, fascination as their previous albums partially had. Fans will love Prizefighter, I guess – also because it somehow takes them back to the roots of the band. I’d wonder if their fan base would significantly increase by this record, though.

Favorite Song: Here

 

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