The wait for a second album is a nerve wracking one. The
stakes are high – will it be a drift into obscurity? Or a glistening triumph? This
week saw the ending of such a wait as Mumford and Sons finally released ‘Babel ’, the follow up to
2009’s ‘Sigh No More’. My biggest fear was not for the overall quality of the
album (the verdict is still out), but that following the phenomenal success of
the past three years Mumford & Sons would lose their lyrical ambition and
musical passion and become a watered down cliché of themselves. Happily that
fear is smashed to smithereens within seconds as a pounding bass drum, urgent
banjos and Marcus Mumford’s yearning vocals let you know that they mean
business. The lyrical gems are plentiful too: ‘Like the city that nursed my
greed and my pride, I stretch my arms into the sky, I cry “Babel ,
Babel , look at
me now”, the walls of my town they come tumbling down”. However high or low the
album ends up in their portfolio, there’s no doubt that Mumford still ‘have
it’. Happy listening!
***
I love the Ryder Cup. It is by far my favourite golfing
tournament, and the only time when golf approaches the upper echelons of my
passion scale. The intense rivalry and matchplay format suggest that this isn’t
so surprising. But what is surprising is the Europe
factor. Europe, if you haven’t noticed, isn’t doing so well - regions in Spain have run out of essential medical
supplies, Christianity is being squeezed out of every corner of public life and
Germany is wielding the kind
of power that a Union was meant to prevent
ever happening again. In the UK , the EU flag has probably never been held in lower regard. And yet, for three wonderful
days every two years, Les Douze Etoiles flies with pride and the old world lion
roars down the fairways with glory. There are, of course, historic golfing
reasons why Europe as a continent competes in
this event, but that its popularity continues to grow in these troubled times
is noteworthy. For the Ryder Cup has succeeded where a political union, legal
integration, a single currency and even the presidency of George Bush failed –
to create an emotionally united Europe. Not that it will stop me voting to get
the hell out of the EU as soon as possible– that is, if we’re ever given the
chance express such sentiments in the ballot box…
***
I’m about to do something dangerous and endorse a book which
I’ve barely read a quarter of so far. The book in question is John Maxwell’s
life@work. John Maxwell makes the unusual junction of being both a sought after
business guru and a evangelical megachurch pastor. The contention of the book
is, essentially, that such a portfolio shouldn’t be unusual – that to separate
God and faith from work and success is a huge mistake. But this far more than a
‘let’s be nice to everyone at work and try hard’ but a tight theological
argument that work itself is central to who God made us to be (Genesis 1:26-31).
Maxwell then proceeds to examine various elements of work and identify their
spiritual integration. I eagerly await reaching his conclusions – let me know
if you get there first.
***
EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW Make sure you check into Words of 50 next
week, where an American Election FACEoff ™ between myself and good friend,
fellow blogger and published journalist Mark Summers will take place. Need I say
more…
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